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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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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cold — not warm
  3. fine — high quality
  4. board — to get on
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. branch — a division
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fine — all right
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. charge — a price
  14. cue — a hint
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. board — a committee
  19. cold — an illness
  20. charge — in control
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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