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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bark · chair · craft · can · spell · suit · safe

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. chair — a professorship
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. spell — magic
  5. bark — to shout
  6. spell — letters
  7. chair — a leader
  8. charge — in control
  9. craft — boats
  10. suit — to fit
  11. spell — a short time
  12. suit — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. craft — a skill
  22. can — a tin
  23. charge — a price
  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