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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: foot · charge · spell · bulb · dip · present · straw · rush

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. present — the time now
  3. spell — magic
  4. charge — in control
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — hurry
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. present — a gift
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. foot — a measure
  21. spell — a short time
  22. present — there
  23. spell — letters
  24. charge — a price

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