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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 120 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 · can · season · rest · spring · ground · snap · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ground — crushed
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — a tin
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. can — a tin
  9. season — of the year
  10. rest — what's left
  11. spring — of water
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. ground — the earth
  16. charge — in control
  17. rest — a break
  18. charge — electricity
  19. deal — to handle
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — the season
  22. ground — a position
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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