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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: charge · present · pit · can · lean · bear · file · board

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. present — the time now
  7. can — a tin
  8. file — a tool
  9. present — there
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — a price
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pit — in a race
  14. board — to get on
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. charge — in control
  22. pit — a hole
  23. file — a document
  24. bear — the animal

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