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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: roll · content · pit · chip · bark · charge · racket · board

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bark — to shout
  3. charge — a price
  4. board — a committee
  5. chip — for betting
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. charge — electricity
  8. roll — a list
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — in a race
  19. board — to get on
  20. charge — in control
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. roll — a cake
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chip — to eat

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