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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: bay · present · rash · board · charge · can · track · ball

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. ball — a great time
  3. charge — electricity
  4. board — a committee
  5. present — a gift
  6. can — a tin
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. charge — a price
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rash — a series
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. can — a tin
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. track — a path
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — a song
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. can — to be able to

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