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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — government
  3. game — a match
  4. charge — electricity
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — a price
  7. mug — a face
  8. board — a committee
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. board — to get on
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mug — a cup
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mug — to rob
  16. charge — in control
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rule — a law

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