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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · tube · pass · sharp · charge · spell · hide · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. spell — magic
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — a container
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. charge — in control
  13. sharp — clever
  14. present — a gift
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. charge — electricity
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. present — the time now
  21. charge — a price
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. present — there
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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