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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bass — low music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — a price
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. charge — in control

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