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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She's very handy 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. season — in sport
  2. bass — low music
  3. mug — a face
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. tube — a container
  11. charge — a price
  12. mug — a cup
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. season — of the year
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. saw — the tool
  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