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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: mate · track · chip · spell · pop · deal · charge · present

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. present — a gift
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. track — a path
  5. mate — a friend
  6. spell — letters
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pop — music
  10. track — a song
  11. present — there
  12. pop — soda
  13. mate — to breed
  14. charge — in control
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spell — magic
  17. pop — to visit
  18. chip — for betting
  19. track — to keep track
  20. present — the time now
  21. spell — a short time
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  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