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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. club — for golf
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. row — a line
  6. mug — a cup
  7. club — for dancing
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mug — to rob
  12. board — to get on
  13. mug — a face
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — a price
  17. pop — soda
  18. pitch — completely
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pop — music
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. club — a group

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