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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 116 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: net · pass · cell · object · mate · charge · board · swing

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mate — to breed
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. charge — in control
  8. swing — to play on
  9. net — in sport
  10. cell — a phone
  11. charge — electricity
  12. net — after costs
  13. board — to get on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. net — for catching
  21. mate — a friend
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. pass — to spend time

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