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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 124 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  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. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. object — to protest
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. object — a thing
  9. charge — electricity
  10. tear — from crying
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. spell — letters
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. spell — magic
  17. tear — to rip
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fine — all right
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. tear — from crying
  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