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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. charge — in control
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. current — happening now
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wax — to grow
  8. charge — a price
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a committee
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. field — a subject
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. charge — electricity
  16. current — of water
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. current — electric
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. field — farmland
  21. dip — to sink
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. field — for sport

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