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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. charge — in control
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cell — in biology
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — to get on
  9. file — a tool
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. charge — a price
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitch — completely
  18. suit — to fit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cell — a phone
  21. charge — electricity
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a line of people
  24. leaves — lets stay

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