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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mark — a trace
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lie — to recline
  9. band — a music group
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mark — a grade
  13. charge — in control
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. staff — employees
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. staff — employees
  20. ball — a dance
  21. band — a ring
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. charge — a price

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