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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: cell · season · rush · rock · board · chair · charge · present

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. present — a gift
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. present — the time now
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. season — in sport
  9. charge — in control
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. charge — a price
  13. board — to get on
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rock — a stone
  16. present — there
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. board — a committee
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cell — in biology
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chair — a leader
  24. rock — music

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