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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. board — a committee
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. charge — a price
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. root — of a plant
  9. board — to get on
  10. charge — in control
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. march — the month
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. root — the cause
  18. march — the month
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. march — music
  23. season — of the year
  24. root — of a word

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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