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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. key — in music
  4. content — happy
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — in cards
  7. content — the amount
  8. mate — to breed
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fine — all right
  13. lean — thin
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pit — in a race
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. suit — to fit
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fine — high quality
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pit — a hole

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