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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.

Make a worksheet

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: charge · pop · safe · spell · squash · craft · rest · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pop — soda
  4. craft — boats
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — a price
  8. squash — the sport
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rest — a break
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. charge — in control
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. spell — letters
  19. pop — music
  20. squash — to crush
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pop — to visit
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short time

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