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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.

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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: chip · field · calf · spell · pass · charge · foot · sharp

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pass — a permit
  3. sharp — clever
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spell — magic
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. field — farmland
  9. chip — for betting
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. spell — letters
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spell — a short time
  15. charge — in control
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. charge — electricity
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. field — for sport
  20. charge — a price
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. chip — to eat
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. calf — of the leg

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