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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. board — to get on
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — a committee
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fine — all right
  11. rock — music
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. content — the amount
  14. pop — soda
  15. firm — a company
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. firm — decided
  24. pop — music

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