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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. charge — in control
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pop — music
  14. charge — a price
  15. mate — a friend
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pop — soda
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mate — a partner
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mine — belonging to me

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