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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. clip — a video
  7. staff — employees
  8. charge — electricity
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. charge — a price
  12. clip — to cut
  13. staff — employees
  14. kid — child
  15. mug — a cup
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mug — a face
  20. clip — for paper
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — in control
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. board — a committee

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