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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
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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: wound · pit · drill · calf · charge · ball · cabinet · board

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. drill — the tool
  3. charge — in control
  4. drill — a practice
  5. board — to get on
  6. wound — an injury
  7. drill — army training
  8. board — a committee
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. charge — a price
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wound — an injury
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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