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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. field — for sport
  3. bore — to tire
  4. charge — a price
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cue — a hint
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. field — farmland
  14. cue — a signal
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. field — a subject
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cue — for pool
  22. charge — in control
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. jam — in traffic

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