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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: game · hide · bass · deal · present · rule · charge · root

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bass — the fish
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. present — there
  7. charge — a price
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. game — a match
  11. rule — a law
  12. bass — low music
  13. root — of a plant
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. present — the time now
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rule — government
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. present — a gift
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — in control
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. charge — electricity

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