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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stock — shares
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stock — goods
  7. charge — a price
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pop — music
  10. kick — in football
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spring — of water
  14. rock — a stone
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spring — the season
  20. spell — a short time
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rock — music
  24. pop — soda

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