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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: bear · spell · firm · spring · charge · object · cold · lie

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. spell — magic
  4. object — an aim
  5. firm — decided
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cold — not warm
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spell — letters
  10. charge — a price
  11. spring — of water
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. spell — a short time
  19. firm — steady
  20. spring — the season
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — a company
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lie — an untruth

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