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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.

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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: bear · key · bulb · root · ball · deal · charge · spell

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — to handle
  4. key — in music
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. spell — a short time
  7. charge — a price
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a great time
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ball — a dance
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. spell — magic
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. spell — letters
  24. bear — the animal

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