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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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. chair — a leader
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stand — to bear
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — to get on
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. charge — electricity
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — a price
  18. tube — the underground
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. tube — a container
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wound — an injury

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