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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. charge — in control
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — the animal
  7. season — of the year
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — a price
  10. craft — boats
  11. kick — in football
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. board — to get on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. craft — a skill

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