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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: deal · root · mug · wind · bound · chip · charge · wound

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. root — of a word
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. chip — to eat
  5. root — of a plant
  6. chip — for betting
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. charge — in control
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bound — obliged
  14. mug — to rob
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bound — certain
  21. wind — moving air
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. root — the cause

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