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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: charge · mark · bound · squash · board · race · net · deal

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. charge — in control
  5. bound — obliged
  6. race — the arms race
  7. net — in sport
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. net — for catching
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bound — certain
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bound — tied together
  15. deal — to handle
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — electricity
  18. net — after costs
  19. charge — a price
  20. mark — a grade
  21. race — humankind
  22. board — a committee
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. race — a contest

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