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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: charge · deal · shower · firm · rash · bore · key · pop

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pop — soda
  4. firm — decided
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pop — music
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pop — to visit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. charge — a price
  13. deal — to handle
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. key — in music
  17. rash — a series
  18. firm — a company
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. charge — in control
  21. firm — steady
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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