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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
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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: charge · prune · spell · leaves · press · bulb · fan · rash

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. charge — a price
  4. press — to push
  5. charge — in control
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bulb — for light
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rash — hasty
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rash — a series
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. spell — a short time
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spell — letters

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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