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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: hide · chip · fan · charge · board · ruler · jam · bowl

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. charge — electricity
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. board — to get on
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — a committee
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. charge — in control
  24. bowl — a dish

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