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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. season — in sport
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bat — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. board — a committee
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. board — to get on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — electricity
  21. season — of the year
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — in control

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