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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. board — to get on
  8. scale — in music
  9. charge — in control
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — a price
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. board — a committee
  15. content — happy
  16. mark — a trace
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rush — hurry
  24. charge — electricity

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