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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cap — of ice
  3. foot — a measure
  4. charge — a price
  5. race — humankind
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. charge — in control
  8. board — a committee
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cap — a lid
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. suit — to fit
  17. race — the arms race
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cap — a hat
  21. race — a contest
  22. stand — to bear
  23. plane — a tool
  24. board — to get on

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