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

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitch — completely
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. board — a committee
  5. charge — a price
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — to get on
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. kid — child
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. kid — to tease
  18. pitch — a sports field

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