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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. season — in sport
  3. rule — a law
  4. squash — the sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rash — hasty
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — to get on
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. board — a committee
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rash — a series
  19. staff — employees
  20. season — of the year
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. jam — in traffic

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