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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: mine · mate · face · can · firm · deal · charge · saw

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. deal — to handle
  3. charge — in control
  4. mate — a partner
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. firm — steady
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — electricity
  11. face — to confront
  12. charge — a price
  13. mate — to breed
  14. face — to point toward
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. face — part of the head
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. can — a tin
  24. deal — an agreement

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