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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 124 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. charge — in control
  3. deal — to handle
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cell — a phone
  9. club — a group
  10. rash — hasty
  11. charge — a price
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rash — a series
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. hand — help
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cell — in a prison

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