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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.

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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: season · spell · lash · mate · cell · charge · pound · patient

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. season — of the year
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mate — a partner
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. charge — electricity
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cell — a phone
  11. charge — a price
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mate — a friend
  20. spell — magic
  21. charge — in control
  22. pound — a weight
  23. season — in sport
  24. mate — to breed

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