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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. court — for sport
  3. firm — steady
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — a price
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. staff — employees
  13. charge — electricity
  14. staff — a stick
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fine — high quality
  18. court — of law
  19. fine — all right
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — to get on
  23. court — of a king
  24. staff — employees

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