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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.

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: spell · track · bear · squash · charge · mug · kick · temple

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mug — a face
  3. track — a path
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spell — letters
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spell — magic
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. kick — in football
  10. charge — a price
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mug — a cup
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. spell — a short time
  16. charge — in control
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. track — a song
  21. mug — to rob
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bear — the animal

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