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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.

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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: present · spell · race · staff · mug · season · rock · charge

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. season — of the year
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mug — a cup
  5. charge — in control
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rock — a stone
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rock — music
  10. race — a contest
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. race — humankind
  13. charge — a price
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. mug — a face
  17. staff — employees
  18. mug — to rob
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. charge — electricity
  22. season — in sport
  23. spell — letters
  24. staff — employees

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