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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. content — the amount
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bear — the animal
  5. content — happy
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. hand — help
  9. club — a group
  10. bass — the fish
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bass — low music
  13. board — to get on
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bore — to drill
  19. club — for golf
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bore — to tire

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