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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 124 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.

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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: craft · drill · spell · roll · charge · ruler · season · cell

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. season — of the year
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. spell — letters
  8. drill — the tool
  9. craft — boats
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — electricity
  12. roll — a list
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. drill — a practice
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. charge — in control
  18. drill — army training
  19. craft — a skill
  20. season — in sport
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cell — a phone
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — a price

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