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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.

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: deal · pop · charge · wave · spell · suit · tear · file

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. file — a line of people
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spell — letters
  8. pop — soda
  9. spell — a short time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. charge — a price
  12. pop — music
  13. tear — to rip
  14. suit — in cards
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. file — a tool
  18. tear — from crying
  19. file — a document
  20. deal — to handle
  21. spell — magic
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wave — with your hand

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