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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: object · spell · date · jam · bass · charge · saw · present

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. charge — in control
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bass — the fish
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. object — an aim
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. saw — the tool
  15. object — a thing
  16. charge — a price
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. object — to protest
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bass — low music
  22. date — the fruit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. present — there

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