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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — a leader
  3. charge — a price
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. charge — in control
  8. board — to get on
  9. shower — rain
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ball — a dance
  15. charge — electricity
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. board — a committee
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. shower — to wash
  24. board — a flat piece

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