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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: charge · spell · bulb · rest · coach · wax · temple · face

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wax — to grow
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. charge — in control
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. face — to point toward
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rest — a break
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. charge — a price
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rest — what's left

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