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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. fine — high quality
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. craft — a skill
  14. key — the most important part
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. charge — electricity
  18. key — in music
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — in control
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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