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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. spell — a short time
  3. season — in sport
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. season — of the year
  6. scale — in music
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. board — to get on
  11. scale — size or range
  12. board — a committee
  13. spell — letters
  14. current — happening now
  15. staff — employees
  16. current — electric
  17. foot — a measure
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — of water
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. spell — magic
  24. staff — a stick

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