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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · tear · kid · board · rest · charge

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. charge — in control
  3. suit — to fit
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. rest — a break
  9. tear — from crying
  10. kid — child
  11. rest — what's left
  12. kid — to tease
  13. charge — a price
  14. tear — from crying
  15. charge — electricity
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tear — to rip
  18. suit — in cards

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