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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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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: cold · pitcher · charge · arm · rest · cap · board · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. charge — electricity
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. board — to get on
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cold — not warm
  12. cap — a lid
  13. board — a committee
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. rest — a break
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cold — an illness
  22. cap — a hat
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. charge — a price

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