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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fall — the season
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fall — to drop
  10. squash — the sport
  11. content — the amount
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. board — a committee
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. content — happy
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. board — to get on
  19. pitch — completely
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bore — to tire
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bore — gave birth

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