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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 116 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: mark · board · season · fan · kick · straw · cap · charge

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. charge — in control
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mark — a grade
  5. season — of the year
  6. charge — a price
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kick — in football
  16. board — to get on
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cap — a lid
  20. board — a committee
  21. season — in sport
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. cap — of ice

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