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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. board — a committee
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cell — in biology
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. can — a tin
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cell — a phone
  15. charge — in control
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. charge — electricity
  22. board — to get on
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pitcher — a jug

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