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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. foot — a measure
  4. charge — in control
  5. file — a document
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. bass — the fish
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bass — low music
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. file — a line of people
  14. charge — a price
  15. hand — help
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. file — a tool
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. hand — part of the body

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