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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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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 · racket · board · bear · cell · pit · chair · fine

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. board — to get on
  3. fine — high quality
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cell — in biology
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fine — all right
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cell — a phone
  17. board — a committee
  18. charge — in control
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pit — in a race
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. chair — a leader

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