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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
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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 · temple · mine · staff · jam · pop · calf · charge

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pop — soda
  5. mine — for digging
  6. charge — in control
  7. staff — employees
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. spell — magic
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pop — music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — letters
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pop — to visit
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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