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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. suit — clothes
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — all right
  6. lean — to bend
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — in control
  17. suit — in cards
  18. board — a committee
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — to get on
  21. bat — the animal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lean — thin
  24. hide — animal skin

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