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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. charge — in control
  3. board — to get on
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tube — a container
  6. charge — electricity
  7. board — a committee
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. band — a ring
  10. root — of a word
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. root — the cause
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. root — of a plant
  16. band — a music group
  17. charge — a price
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stand — to bear

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