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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. board — to get on
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. tube — a container
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. tube — the underground
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — a price
  17. mine — for digging
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mine — an explosive

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