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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. board — to get on
  3. content — the amount
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. fall — the season
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chair — a leader
  12. board — a committee
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. content — happy
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fall — to drop

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