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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. deal — to handle
  8. land — a country
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pop — music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — soda
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. firm — decided
  17. lean — thin
  18. charge — in control
  19. root — the cause
  20. firm — steady
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pop — to visit
  24. root — of a word

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