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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chest — a box
  9. fine — high quality
  10. charge — in control
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. hand — help
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fine — all right
  18. chest — of your body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. can — a tin

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