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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. swing — in golf
  3. board — to get on
  4. capital — money
  5. file — a document
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. charge — a price
  8. craft — boats
  9. charge — in control
  10. last — finally
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. charge — electricity
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. last — final
  18. capital — a city
  19. board — a committee
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — to go on
  22. craft — a skill
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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