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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ball — a dance
  3. board — a committee
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. ball — a great time
  8. board — to get on
  9. charge — in control
  10. tube — a container
  11. track — to keep track
  12. press — to push
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. charge — a price
  17. track — a path
  18. press — newspapers
  19. tube — the underground
  20. saw — the tool
  21. track — a song
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. press — a publisher

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