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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: spell · charge · pitch · plane · chair · bear · drill · band

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. spell — letters
  3. drill — a practice
  4. charge — a price
  5. pitch — completely
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spell — magic
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. drill — the tool
  13. band — a ring
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. band — a music group
  16. spell — a short time
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. charge — in control
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. charge — electricity
  21. drill — army training
  22. bear — the animal
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. chair — a leader

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