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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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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: spell · kick · cell · fine · pit · club

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. club — for golf
  3. spell — a short time
  4. kick — in football
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fine — all right
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pit — a hole
  13. club — for dancing
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. club — a group
  18. cell — a phone

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