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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. firm — a company
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. charge — electricity
  6. board — a committee
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. rush — hurry
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. shower — rain
  12. firm — decided
  13. board — to get on
  14. firm — steady
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. charge — a price
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. racket — for tennis

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