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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 be taking the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rest — what's left
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. charge — a price
  11. dip — to sink
  12. board — a committee
  13. can — to be able to
  14. tube — a container
  15. can — a tin
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. charge — in control
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rest — a break

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