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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. charge — electricity
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — to fit
  6. game — a match
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — in cards
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. charge — in control
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pound — a weight

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