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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. field — for sport
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. field — farmland
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — a subject
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rock — a stone
  11. charge — a price
  12. rock — music
  13. root — of a word
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. charge — electricity
  18. root — the cause
  19. firm — decided
  20. sharp — clever
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. root — of a plant
  24. charge — in control

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