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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: bark · safe · pit · ball · rock · squash · spell · charge

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spell — magic
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bark — to shout
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rock — a stone
  12. charge — a price
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. charge — in control
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rock — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spell — letters

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