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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. object — a thing
  5. ground — crushed
  6. firm — steady
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. band — a music group
  12. wound — an injury
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. object — to protest
  15. ground — a position
  16. firm — decided
  17. ground — the earth
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. charge — in control
  21. wound — an injury
  22. band — a ring
  23. firm — a company
  24. object — an aim

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