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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: squash · charge · cap · chair · board · key · track · mark

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mark — a grade
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cap — a hat
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — in music
  12. chair — a leader
  13. track — a song
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cap — a lid
  16. board — to get on
  17. charge — electricity
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mark — a trace
  20. track — to keep track
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. track — a path
  23. key — the most important part
  24. board — a committee

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