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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. spell — magic
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. land — a country
  6. deal — to handle
  7. land — to come down
  8. spell — letters
  9. charge — a price
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chip — to eat
  12. can — a tin
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. can — a tin
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. can — to be able to
  17. spell — a short time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. charge — in control
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. land — ground
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. chip — for betting

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