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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. firm — decided
  3. charge — a price
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — to get on
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — a skill
  8. spell — magic
  9. board — a committee
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. charge — in control
  12. spell — letters
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. charge — electricity
  15. craft — boats
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. firm — a company
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. roll — a list
  20. toast — bread
  21. spell — a short time
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mark — a trace
  24. roll — a cake

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