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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.

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: pitch · wake · charge · stand · spell · arm · squash · bark

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. spell — magic
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. squash — the sport
  7. charge — in control
  8. squash — to crush
  9. charge — electricity
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. charge — a price
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. spell — letters

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