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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 116 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: charge · bound · bowl · lash · spell · prune · cap · season

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. charge — in control
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. spell — letters
  8. prune — to trim
  9. season — in sport
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. charge — a price
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. season — of the year
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. charge — electricity
  18. spell — magic
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bound — certain
  24. cap — a lid

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