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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. board — to get on
  3. season — in sport
  4. charge — a price
  5. pound — a weight
  6. present — a gift
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. charge — in control
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. plane — a tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. present — the time now
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. board — a committee
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. present — there
  24. firm — steady

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