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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. deal — to handle
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. charge — a price
  8. pound — a weight
  9. charge — in control
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. cue — for pool
  14. field — farmland
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. capital — a city
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. cue — a hint
  24. capital — money

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