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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. kick — in football
  4. board — a committee
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — a cup
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mug — a face
  15. spring — the season
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. spring — a coil
  18. board — to get on
  19. spring — of water
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mug — to rob
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. charge — a price

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