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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. charge — in control
  4. rash — a series
  5. rule — government
  6. deal — to handle
  7. key — the most important part
  8. squash — the sport
  9. rash — hasty
  10. content — the amount
  11. squash — to crush
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rule — a law
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. key — for a lock
  17. club — for golf
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. charge — a price
  20. key — in music
  21. content — happy
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. charge — electricity

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