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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. last — finally
  4. board — a committee
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. spring — of water
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. charge — in control
  10. board — to get on
  11. charge — a price
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — electricity
  14. last — to go on
  15. pitch — completely
  16. spring — a coil
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. last — final
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. spring — the season
  24. patient — a sick person

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