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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. fine — high quality
  3. drill — the tool
  4. charge — in control
  5. rock — music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. shower — to wash
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. season — of the year
  10. saw — the tool
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. rock — a stone
  13. charge — a price
  14. drill — army training
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. board — a committee
  20. charge — electricity
  21. board — to get on
  22. drill — a practice
  23. fine — all right
  24. shower — rain

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