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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 116 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — government
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. board — a committee
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ball — a great time
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rule — a law
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ball — a dance
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — a price
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fork — in a road

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