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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: cap · present · board · rush · charge · mate · lie · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. present — the time now
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cap — a lid
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fine — all right
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. charge — a price
  10. board — to get on
  11. present — a gift
  12. board — a committee
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. charge — in control
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cap — a hat
  19. mate — a partner
  20. present — there
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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