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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. 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. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. band — a ring
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bound — tied together
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. board — to get on
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. last — to go on
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. bound — obliged
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. charge — in control
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. charge — electricity
  22. board — a committee
  23. bound — certain
  24. 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