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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rock — music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. spell — magic
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — letters
  11. game — wild animals
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. game — a match
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. rock — a stone

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