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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pass · shower · stick · charge · hide · file · leaves

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. file — a tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — a permit
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. shower — to wash
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. shower — rain
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — electricity
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. board — to get on
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. board — a committee
  23. file — a document
  24. board — a flat piece

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