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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ball — a dance
  3. squash — to crush
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. board — to get on
  7. charge — electricity
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — in control
  14. track — a song
  15. toast — bread
  16. board — a committee
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fall — the season
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ball — a great time
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. track — to keep track

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