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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: bound · rash · cabinet · pitch · spell · court · last · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. last — finally
  3. charge — a price
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. spell — magic
  6. court — for sport
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bound — certain
  9. spell — letters
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. court — of a king
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. court — of law
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. last — final
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — obliged
  24. last — to go on

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