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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — electricity
  4. board — to get on
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. game — a match
  11. march — the month
  12. game — wild animals
  13. board — a committee
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. march — music
  16. charge — a price
  17. stand — to bear
  18. charge — in control

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