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

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. cap — a lid
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. spell — letters
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cap — of ice
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mate — a partner
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. charge — a price
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cap — a hat
  14. spell — magic
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. spell — a short time

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