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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. craft — a skill
  4. content — the amount
  5. charge — a price
  6. clip — a video
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — to push
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. board — to get on
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. content — happy
  17. charge — in control
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. board — a committee
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. press — a publisher
  23. craft — boats
  24. charge — electricity

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