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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. last — final
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. charge — in control
  8. foot — a measure
  9. game — wild animals
  10. last — finally
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. last — to go on
  16. rush — hurry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. charge — a price
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. game — a match
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. charge — electricity

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