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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fall — the season
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. charge — in control
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — a committee
  15. season — in sport
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — to get on
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bound — certain
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. charge — a price
  23. bound — obliged
  24. season — of the year

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