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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: pitcher · charge · shower · spell · swing · pass · calf · pit

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. charge — electricity
  8. swing — music
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pass — a permit
  11. spell — letters
  12. pit — in a race
  13. swing — to play on
  14. shower — rain
  15. spell — magic
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — in control
  22. shower — to wash
  23. charge — a price
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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