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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. board — a committee
  10. bound — tied together
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. field — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bound — certain
  17. charge — a price
  18. field — a subject
  19. can — to be able to
  20. field — farmland
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. charge — in control
  24. calf — of the leg

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