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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 124 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fork — in a road
  3. file — a document
  4. staff — employees
  5. file — a tool
  6. root — of a word
  7. staff — a stick
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — to bear
  10. charge — in control
  11. board — to get on
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. file — a line of people
  17. charge — a price
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. row — to paddle
  20. board — a committee
  21. staff — employees
  22. root — of a plant
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. root — the cause

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