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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. can — to be able to
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. cue — for pool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. board — a committee
  7. charge — a price
  8. pop — soda
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — a hint
  18. board — to get on
  19. race — a contest
  20. pop — to visit
  21. charge — in control
  22. cue — a signal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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