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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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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 · stick · deal · chip · present · lash · rule · craft

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. charge — in control
  3. craft — boats
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rule — government
  8. present — a gift
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. chip — for betting
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. present — the time now
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — there
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — an eyelash

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