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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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Word bank
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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a committee
  5. fork — in a road
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. land — a country
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — to get on
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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