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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ball — a great time
  3. club — for golf
  4. board — a committee
  5. branch — a division
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. charge — electricity
  9. club — for dancing
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. charge — a price
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ball — a dance
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — to get on
  21. charge — in control
  22. club — a group
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. hide — to keep secret

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