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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. last — final
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. craft — boats
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mine — for digging
  12. charge — a price
  13. last — finally
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. last — to go on
  16. board — to get on
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. board — a committee
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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