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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. tear — from crying
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. suit — clothes
  6. charge — electricity
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. board — to get on
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. suit — to fit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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