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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · land · pitcher · deal · jam · hide · charge · rush

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — a price
  7. land — to come down
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. deal — to handle
  13. land — a country
  14. charge — in control
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. land — ground
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. rush — hurry
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. jam — in traffic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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