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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. charge — in control
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. suit — to fit
  5. board — a committee
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bat — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. capital — money
  11. charge — a price
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. capital — a city
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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