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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. current — happening now
  3. pop — soda
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. charge — in control
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. deal — to handle
  8. current — of water
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. charge — a price
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pop — to visit
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — electric
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pop — music
  21. chip — to eat
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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