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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: charge · press · can · foot · pitcher · board · lie · mine

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. can — to be able to
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. charge — a price
  6. lie — to recline
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. charge — electricity
  17. press — a publisher
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. mine — for digging
  21. board — to get on
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — to push

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