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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 116 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. track — to keep track
  6. spring — a coil
  7. track — a path
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — a law
  10. spring — the season
  11. spell — magic
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — the underground
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spring — of water
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — to get on
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. track — a song
  22. spell — letters
  23. charge — in control
  24. tube — a container

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