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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. hand — in cards
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. charge — in control
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bass — the fish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bass — low music
  12. object — a thing
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. object — an aim
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. deal — to handle
  19. object — to protest
  20. charge — a price
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hand — help
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pit — in a race

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