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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: pit · ball · straw · charge · spell · safe · shower · mark

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pit — a hole
  4. spell — magic
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pit — in a race
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. shower — rain
  10. spell — letters
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ball — a dance
  13. spell — a short time
  14. charge — electricity
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. charge — in control
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. shower — to wash
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — a price
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. ball — a round shape

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