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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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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. board — a committee
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. present — there
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — a price
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. board — to get on
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. present — the time now
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. present — a gift

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