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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 116 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pit — in a race
  5. charge — electricity
  6. race — a contest
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — a hole
  9. race — humankind
  10. bank — for money
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. clip — a video
  13. board — a committee
  14. clip — to cut
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. charge — in control
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — to wash
  21. suit — clothes
  22. race — the arms race
  23. suit — to fit
  24. clip — for paper

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