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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. file — a line of people
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. band — a ring
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. rock — a stone
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. saw — the tool
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. band — a music group
  14. board — a committee
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. saw — the tool
  17. charge — in control
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — a price
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — to get on
  22. rock — music
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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