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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mark — a trace
  3. saw — the tool
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — in control
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. board — to get on
  12. mug — to rob
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. charge — a price
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. drill — army training
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — a grade

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