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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: calf · spell · club · charge · row · kick · mouse · ground

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. charge — in control
  4. ground — crushed
  5. club — for dancing
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. row — a line
  9. club — a group
  10. spell — magic
  11. row — to paddle
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. club — for golf
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. spell — letters
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — the earth
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ground — a position
  24. charge — electricity

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