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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. march — the month
  4. content — the amount
  5. march — the month
  6. content — happy
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. march — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wound — an injury
  13. board — a committee
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — to get on
  20. cue — a hint
  21. charge — in control
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cue — for pool
  24. safe — a strongbox

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