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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wound — an injury
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — happy
  10. board — a committee
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. land — ground
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wound — an injury
  18. land — a country
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. content — the amount
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. land — to come down
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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