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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. present — a gift
  3. content — happy
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bulb — for light
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. content — the amount
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. board — a committee
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. content — videos and posts

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