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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: pass · board · nail · file · charge · cell · toast · pitcher

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. charge — a price
  6. toast — bread
  7. board — to get on
  8. cell — a phone
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. file — a document
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. charge — in control
  15. cell — in biology
  16. file — a line of people
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. board — a committee
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. file — a tool

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