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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. board — to get on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spring — a coil
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mug — to rob
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — a face
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mug — a cup
  17. chip — for betting
  18. board — a committee

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