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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: rush · net · charge · mine · cabinet · suit · stick · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. spell — letters
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. charge — a price
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. charge — in control
  14. spell — magic
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. charge — electricity
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rush — hurry
  22. net — for catching
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. suit — clothes

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