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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: lie · content · pop · suit · charge · shower · board · racket

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. charge — in control
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. content — happy
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pop — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. charge — a price
  10. content — the amount
  11. shower — to wash
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. board — to get on
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lie — to recline
  21. board — a committee
  22. shower — rain
  23. pop — soda
  24. suit — in cards

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