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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: date · stick · game · wind · press · charge · board · firm

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. charge — in control
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. charge — a price
  6. game — wild animals
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. board — a committee
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wind — moving air
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. charge — electricity
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. board — to get on
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. game — a match

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