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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: calf · can · charge · present · board · land · ruler · last

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. board — a committee
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. present — a gift
  5. last — finally
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. present — there
  8. charge — a price
  9. land — a country
  10. can — a tin
  11. present — the time now
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. land — ground
  15. charge — in control
  16. land — to come down
  17. last — final
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. last — to go on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. charge — electricity
  24. board — to get on

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