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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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. bowl — a dish
  4. content — happy
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bat — the animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pitch — completely
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — a trainer

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