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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. charge — a price
  16. stem — to come from
  17. scale — in music
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. scale — size or range
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — a stem cell

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