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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. present — a gift
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — there
  6. cue — a signal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. spring — the season
  12. board — to get on
  13. cue — a hint
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stock — goods
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stock — shares
  22. present — the time now
  23. board — a committee
  24. stock — a soup base

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