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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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fine — all right
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. squash — the sport
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. content — happy
  24. fine — high quality

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