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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 120 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. craft — a skill
  4. board — a committee
  5. kid — to tease
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. deal — to handle
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kid — child
  16. charge — in control
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pitch — completely
  23. craft — boats
  24. deal — an agreement

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