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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 116 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: bass · charge · game · press · board · bark · lie · patient

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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. bass — low music
  4. bark — to shout
  5. press — to push
  6. game — wild animals
  7. charge — in control
  8. press — newspapers
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bass — the fish
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — a match
  16. board — a committee
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. charge — a price
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lie — to recline
  22. board — to get on
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. charge — electricity

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