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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spring — of water
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. chair — a leader
  9. spring — a coil
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. content — happy
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. swing — music
  15. spring — the season
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. board — to get on
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. board — a committee
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. deal — to handle

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