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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. march — the month
  4. land — to come down
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. deal — to handle
  8. charge — a price
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — for betting
  13. march — music
  14. charge — in control
  15. fall — the season
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pass — a permit
  19. land — ground
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. land — a country
  23. fall — to drop
  24. march — the month

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