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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — a short time
  3. board — a committee
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spell — magic
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. board — to get on
  13. shower — rain
  14. pass — a permit
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. shower — to wash
  18. spell — letters
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. charge — a price
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bowl — to roll
  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