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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. charge — a price
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. board — to get on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. squash — to crush
  14. vault — a safe
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. board — a committee
  19. squash — the sport
  20. content — the amount
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. content — happy
  23. charge — in control
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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