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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. charge — a price
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. charge — in control
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. land — a country
  11. fine — all right
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. land — ground
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fork — in a road
  23. land — to come down
  24. bowl — a dish

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