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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.

Make a worksheet

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: staff · charge · content · temple · object · cap · spell · pitch

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. cap — a lid
  3. charge — in control
  4. spell — a short time
  5. staff — a stick
  6. charge — electricity
  7. staff — employees
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cap — a hat
  11. content — happy
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — an aim
  14. spell — magic
  15. cap — of ice
  16. charge — a price
  17. object — to protest
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. content — the amount
  21. object — a thing
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. staff — employees

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