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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 120 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: board · rule · face · mug · ball · bowl · wake · charge

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. charge — a price
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. ball — a great time
  10. charge — in control
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. face — to point toward
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. charge — electricity
  19. face — to confront
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mug — a face
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mug — a cup

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