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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.

Make a worksheet

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: snap · charge · board · pit · can · bass · game · rule

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pit — a hole
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. charge — a price
  11. bass — low music
  12. board — to get on
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. snap — to click
  15. rule — government
  16. game — a match
  17. rule — a law
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. can — to be able to
  22. charge — in control
  23. board — a committee
  24. bass — the fish

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