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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: firm · present · mine · charge · march · chip · bear · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bear — the animal
  4. march — the month
  5. present — a gift
  6. march — the month
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. present — there
  9. chip — to eat
  10. charge — a price
  11. march — music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mine — for digging
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. firm — decided
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. firm — a company
  20. chip — for betting
  21. charge — in control
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. firm — steady
  24. deal — a big deal

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