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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. charge — a price
  4. fine — all right
  5. charge — in control
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mark — a grade
  10. board — a committee
  11. roll — a list
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. board — to get on
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pass — a permit

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