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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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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 · face · bat · rock · spell · mark · deal · bowl

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. charge — electricity
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. spell — magic
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — a short time
  20. charge — in control
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rock — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. rock — to move gently

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