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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: race · spell · pitch · root · drill · staff · charge · safe

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. race — a contest
  6. staff — employees
  7. race — humankind
  8. staff — employees
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. race — the arms race
  11. drill — the tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. staff — a stick
  14. drill — a practice
  15. spell — letters
  16. charge — a price
  17. drill — army training
  18. pitch — completely
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. charge — in control
  21. root — of a word
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. root — the cause

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