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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: shower · charge · object · lie · safe · cold · board · branch

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. board — a committee
  4. shower — to wash
  5. object — an aim
  6. branch — a division
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. board — to get on
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. charge — a price
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. shower — rain
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cold — not warm
  24. lie — to recline

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