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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: deal · lean · pop · rule · bay · spell · ball · charge

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rule — a law
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pop — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. spell — magic
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rule — government
  12. ball — a dance
  13. spell — letters
  14. charge — in control
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pop — soda
  20. charge — a price
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bay — a horse colour

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