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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bass — the fish
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bass — low music
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — in control
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bore — to tire
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bore — to drill
  18. charge — a price
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. lean — thin
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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