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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: charge · hide · degree · wound · spell · bowl · rock · drill

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. charge — in control
  6. degree — an amount
  7. wound — an injury
  8. spell — letters
  9. rock — music
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. drill — army training
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. drill — a practice
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — a price
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spell — magic
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. degree — from a university

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