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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lie — to recline
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. board — a committee
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. charge — a price
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — a container
  11. ground — crushed
  12. season — of the year
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ground — the earth
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. board — to get on
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. ground — a position
  24. tube — in a tire

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