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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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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. charge — electricity
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — a partner
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pitch — completely
  16. mate — a friend
  17. key — for a lock
  18. charge — in control
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. net — for catching
  22. mate — to breed
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. charge — a price

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