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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
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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: calf · chip · hide · charge · pitch · fork · spell · craft

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. chip — for betting
  4. charge — in control
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. spell — magic
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. charge — a price
  15. craft — boats
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. spell — a short time
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. spell — letters
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chip — to eat
  24. craft — a handicraft

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