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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. spring — of water
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. board — to get on
  7. charge — in control
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rash — hasty
  10. clip — a video
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. charge — a price
  13. board — a committee
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. charge — electricity
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rash — a series
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fine — all right
  21. clip — to cut
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — a flat piece

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