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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. game — a match
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. can — to be able to
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — to handle
  9. object — to protest
  10. prune — to trim
  11. firm — decided
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. firm — a company
  14. game — wild animals
  15. object — a thing
  16. prune — to trim
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — a price
  19. object — an aim
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. firm — steady
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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