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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.

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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: bulb · charge · sharp · spell · snap · deal · temple · can

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. can — to be able to
  3. charge — electricity
  4. spell — a short time
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. can — a tin
  18. sharp — clever
  19. charge — in control
  20. spell — magic
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — a price
  24. spell — letters

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