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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — in control
  5. ground — a position
  6. charge — a price
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. content — happy
  11. charge — electricity
  12. board — a committee
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ground — the earth
  20. content — the amount
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ground — crushed
  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