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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — to handle
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rash — a series
  6. pop — music
  7. lean — thin
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stand — to bear
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bass — the fish
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pop — soda
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bass — low music
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. charge — in control
  22. lean — to bend
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pop — to visit

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