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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · bass · charge · wind · mug · chair · stem · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. charge — in control
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. court — of law
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. chair — a leader
  13. spell — magic
  14. bass — low music
  15. wind — moving air
  16. spell — letters
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. spell — a short time
  20. court — for sport
  21. charge — a price
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stem — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com