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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: chair · charge · deal · lie · cabinet · ball · saw · bark

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. deal — to handle
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. charge — in control
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — a price
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lie — to recline
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bark — to shout
  24. chair — a leader

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