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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 · squash · deal · rush · cap · charge · face · rock

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. board — to get on
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. charge — in control
  5. rock — music
  6. rush — hurry
  7. face — to confront
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. face — to point toward
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rock — a stone
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. face — part of the head
  21. board — a committee
  22. cap — a lid
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rush — to hurry

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