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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: bear · hand · roll · deal · date · firm · charge · lash

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. roll — a cake
  3. charge — electricity
  4. hand — help
  5. charge — a price
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. hand — in cards
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bear — the animal
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. roll — a list
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. date — on the calendar

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