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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. charge — in control
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. saw — the tool
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fall — the season
  8. land — to come down
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. dip — to sink
  12. sharp — clever
  13. charge — a price
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fall — to drop
  16. squash — the sport
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. charge — electricity
  19. land — a country
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. land — ground
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fall — to drop

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