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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: charge · safe · pound · deal · fine · spell · field · squash

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. field — for sport
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. field — farmland
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spell — magic
  8. charge — in control
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — a price
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. squash — the sport
  14. spell — letters
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fine — all right
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. spell — a short time
  23. fine — high quality
  24. field — a subject

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