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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: board · present · mug · charge · roll · mine · chest · press

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mine — for digging
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. press — a publisher
  8. roll — a list
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mug — to rob
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. mug — a cup
  15. chest — a box
  16. present — there
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mug — a face
  19. press — to push
  20. roll — a cake
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. charge — in control
  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