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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rock — a stone
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. court — of law
  10. board — a committee
  11. rock — music
  12. season — in sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. court — for sport
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. charge — a price
  22. court — of a king
  23. charge — in control
  24. face — part of the head

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