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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — a series
  4. prune — to trim
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. board — a committee
  8. prune — to trim
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rash — hasty
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — a stone
  16. charge — a price
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pit — a hole
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rock — music
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — on the skin
  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