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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fall — to drop
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — in control
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. charge — a price
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bore — to tire
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. board — to get on
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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