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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cold — an illness
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — a practice
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. board — a committee
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. drill — army training
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. drill — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. charge — in control
  19. board — to get on
  20. can — to be able to
  21. plane — a tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cold — not warm
  24. squash — the sport

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