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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: field · rush · spell · pit · temple · chip · rest · charge

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — for sport
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. charge — a price
  9. pit — a hole
  10. field — farmland
  11. rest — what's left
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pit — in a race
  16. spell — magic
  17. rest — a break
  18. chip — to eat
  19. spell — letters
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. charge — in control
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — for betting

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