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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: cue · wave · press · spell · charge · rock · cap · hand

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rock — music
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. charge — in control
  6. press — newspapers
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rock — a stone
  11. press — to push
  12. charge — a price
  13. spell — letters
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cue — for pool
  17. spell — a short time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wave — of the sea

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