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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 116 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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rule — government
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rule — a law
  6. charge — in control
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. drill — a practice
  9. craft — a skill
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. charge — electricity
  13. craft — boats
  14. drill — army training
  15. charge — a price
  16. sharp — clever
  17. drill — the tool
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. dip — to sink
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. board — to get on
  23. scale — in music
  24. dip — a sauce

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