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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. board — to get on
  3. spring — a coil
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pass — a permit
  7. spring — of water
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fork — in a road
  10. spring — the season
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rock — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — a garden tool

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