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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. chip — for betting
  5. row — a line
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rock — music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chip — to eat
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. charge — a price
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. row — to paddle
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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