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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. row — a line
  5. tube — a container
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. object — to protest
  11. row — to paddle
  12. charge — in control
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — a price
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. object — a thing
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. object — an aim
  24. tube — the underground

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