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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. board — a committee
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. hand — help
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. chest — of your body
  9. board — to get on
  10. chest — of your body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chest — a box
  18. content — the amount
  19. bank — for money
  20. content — happy
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. hand — part of the body

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