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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. club — for golf
  3. board — a committee
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. face — part of the head
  7. court — of law
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. court — of a king
  10. season — in sport
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. club — a group
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. face — to confront
  15. court — for sport
  16. club — for dancing
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. charge — in control
  21. season — of the year
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. face — to point toward
  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