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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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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: ball · key · cap · deal · wake · charge · rush · stand

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cap — a hat
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — in music
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. charge — in control
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cap — of ice
  23. deal — to handle
  24. charge — a price

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