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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cap — a lid
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ground — the earth
  5. charge — a price
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — in control
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rest — what's left
  11. land — a country
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lie — to recline
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — a break
  18. prune — to trim
  19. land — ground
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cap — a hat
  23. land — to come down
  24. rest — what's left

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