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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · charge · mine · stand · sharp · deal · suit · dip

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rash — hasty
  3. dip — to sink
  4. suit — in cards
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. deal — to handle
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mine — for digging
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. rash — a series
  22. sharp — clever
  23. charge — a price
  24. sharp — exactly

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