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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mug — a cup
  4. board — to get on
  5. swing — to play on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mug — a face
  12. swing — music
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. content — the amount
  16. can — a tin
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. content — happy
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mug — to rob
  21. board — a committee
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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