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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. press — to push
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — in control
  5. board — to get on
  6. charge — electricity
  7. net — after costs
  8. club — for golf
  9. saw — the tool
  10. net — in sport
  11. press — a publisher
  12. object — to protest
  13. club — for dancing
  14. root — of a word
  15. net — for catching
  16. club — a group
  17. board — a committee
  18. object — an aim
  19. root — the cause
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. root — of a plant
  22. press — newspapers
  23. saw — the tool
  24. board — a flat piece

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