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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. field — for sport
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. field — a subject
  7. race — a contest
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wax — to grow
  10. charge — a price
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. race — humankind
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stand — to bear
  17. field — farmland
  18. race — the arms race
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. board — to get on
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a committee

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