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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. board — a committee
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. track — a song
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. content — happy
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bound — certain
  17. content — the amount
  18. bulb — for light
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bound — obliged
  22. track — a path
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bulb — for light

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