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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. charge — a price
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. kid — child
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. kid — to tease
  11. degree — from a university
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. degree — an amount
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. charge — in control
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bound — certain
  24. degree — temperature

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