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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. charge — in control
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rash — a series
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — to get on
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. charge — a price
  10. craft — boats
  11. charge — electricity
  12. spell — a short time
  13. content — the amount
  14. board — a committee
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rash — hasty
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. craft — a skill
  22. spell — letters
  23. content — happy
  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