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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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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. toast — bread
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — a committee
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stand — to bear
  12. scale — in music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. content — the amount
  19. ball — a dance
  20. content — happy
  21. board — to get on
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. content — videos and posts

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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