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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. stock — shares
  4. present — there
  5. board — a committee
  6. charge — electricity
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. present — a gift
  9. stock — goods
  10. present — the time now
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. race — humankind
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. charge — in control
  22. board — to get on
  23. cue — a signal
  24. charge — a price

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