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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: drill · bass · sharp · pit · chair · board · charge · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. bass — low music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. charge — in control
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. chair — a leader
  11. charge — a price
  12. drill — army training
  13. board — a committee
  14. pit — in a race
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pit — a hole
  17. drill — a practice
  18. sharp — clever
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bass — the fish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. sharp — exactly

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