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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. charge — a price
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bass — the fish
  9. track — a song
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. squash — to crush
  15. track — a path
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — in control
  18. board — to get on
  19. charge — electricity
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stand — to bear

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