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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. spell — magic
  3. ball — a dance
  4. charge — in control
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. wound — an injury
  7. charge — a price
  8. spell — a short time
  9. staff — employees
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. charge — electricity
  14. deal — to handle
  15. staff — a stick
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. staff — employees
  18. chair — a leader
  19. spell — letters
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. wound — an injury

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