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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. charge — a price
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. board — a committee
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. board — to get on
  11. charge — in control
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. lean — to bend
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. track — a path
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. charge — electricity
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. bear — the animal

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