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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 124 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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. board — to get on
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. hand — help
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. capital — money
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. capital — a city
  14. board — a committee
  15. fine — high quality
  16. hand — in cards
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. scale — in music
  21. fine — all right
  22. scale — size or range
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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