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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: spell · calf · charge · content · shower · hide · key · pitch

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — in music
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. charge — in control
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spell — a short time
  15. content — the amount
  16. pitch — completely
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. spell — letters
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. shower — rain
  22. content — happy
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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