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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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468
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. spell — magic
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. kick — in football
  6. spell — letters
  7. rock — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pitch — completely
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spell — a short time
  14. squash — the sport
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. face — part of the head
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. charge — in control
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rock — a stone

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