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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. craft — boats
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. board — to get on
  7. wake — a trail
  8. charge — electricity
  9. board — a committee
  10. wind — moving air
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. object — an aim
  14. content — the amount
  15. object — a thing
  16. wind — moving air
  17. last — finally
  18. content — happy
  19. charge — a price
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. object — to protest
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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