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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: bay · firm · rest · plane · charge · chest · deal · kid

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. firm — a company
  7. rest — what's left
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. kid — child
  11. firm — steady
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rest — a break
  15. plane — a tool
  16. deal — to handle
  17. kid — to tease
  18. charge — a price
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. plane — an aircraft

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