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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. board — to get on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. charge — in control
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. charge — electricity
  7. board — a committee
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. chair — a leader
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stock — shares
  12. perch — the fish
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stem — to come from
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. suit — in cards
  24. sharp — with an edge

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