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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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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: row · wake · mug · deal · season · lean · charge · race

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. row — a line
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mug — to rob
  9. race — a contest
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — electricity
  12. race — humankind
  13. wake — a trail
  14. season — of the year
  15. lean — to bend
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mug — a face
  19. charge — a price
  20. race — the arms race
  21. row — to paddle
  22. season — in sport
  23. charge — in control
  24. lean — to rest against

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