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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 · club · suit · pit · spell · mate · charge · ground

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. spell — letters
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pit — a hole
  7. spell — a short time
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. club — a group
  11. suit — in cards
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. club — for dancing
  16. charge — a price
  17. mate — a partner
  18. suit — clothes
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — crushed
  21. club — for golf
  22. charge — in control
  23. spell — magic
  24. ground — a position

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