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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. deal — to handle
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — a committee
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rock — music
  11. content — happy
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. board — to get on
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. content — the amount
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. snap — to click
  20. toast — bread
  21. lie — to recline
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rock — a stone
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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