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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. board — a committee
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chip — to eat
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. board — to get on
  24. wake — a trail

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