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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. staff — employees
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. spell — magic
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. staff — a stick
  14. swing — to play on
  15. spell — letters
  16. board — to get on
  17. stem — to come from
  18. ball — a great time
  19. spell — a short time
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. charge — in control
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a round shape

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