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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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. charge — in control
  3. chest — of your body
  4. firm — decided
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. charge — electricity
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chest — a box
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. charge — a price
  11. firm — steady
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. board — a committee
  18. firm — a company
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pound — a weight
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a flat piece

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