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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. press — to push
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. band — a ring
  8. charge — electricity
  9. press — a publisher
  10. board — to get on
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. band — a music group
  13. spring — of water
  14. charge — a price
  15. spring — the season
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spring — a coil
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. press — newspapers
  22. suit — to fit
  23. board — a committee
  24. band — a rubber band

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