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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. band — a music group
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — electricity
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. band — a ring
  24. charge — in control

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