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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — to handle
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. track — a song
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. track — a path
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — electricity
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. charge — in control

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