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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.

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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a ring
  5. charge — a price
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. charge — in control
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — to get on
  10. key — for a lock
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. key — in music
  13. charge — electricity
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. snap — to click
  16. key — the most important part
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. band — a music group

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