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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. board — a committee
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. board — to get on
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rash — a series
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fine — all right
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bank — for money
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rash — hasty

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