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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. charge — electricity
  4. board — a committee
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fine — all right
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bark — to shout
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. charge — in control
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. board — to get on
  24. fan — a supporter

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