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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. present — a gift
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — a hole
  9. charge — in control
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. pit — in a race
  14. present — the time now
  15. charge — a price
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. present — there
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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