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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: mate · spell · charge · bear · racket · spring · bore · foot

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mate — a partner
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. spell — magic
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. spring — the season
  9. bore — to tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bore — to drill
  12. spell — letters
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. foot — a measure
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mate — a friend
  17. spring — a coil
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. charge — a price
  20. spring — of water
  21. charge — in control
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mate — to breed

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