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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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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 · stem · charge · snap · safe · pitch · race · bowl

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. charge — in control
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. charge — electricity
  8. stem — to come from
  9. spell — letters
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. spell — magic
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. charge — a price
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stem — of a plant

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