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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. board — a committee
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. last — finally
  5. charge — electricity
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. suit — in cards
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. band — a ring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. board — to get on
  15. charge — in control
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. last — final
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. charge — a price

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