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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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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: wake · sharp · season · chip · deal · charge · rule · lie

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. sharp — clever
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. charge — in control
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. chip — to eat
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rule — a law
  17. charge — a price
  18. lie — to recline
  19. season — in sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rule — government
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — with an edge

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