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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 · bear · kid · cabinet · ball · charge · spell · pound

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. board — to get on
  6. kid — child
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. charge — a price
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pound — a weight
  14. spell — letters
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. spell — magic
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — electricity
  24. board — a committee

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