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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. charge — electricity
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — in cards
  8. board — a committee
  9. bore — to tire
  10. content — happy
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fork — in a road
  13. charge — a price
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lean — thin
  19. board — to get on
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. content — the amount
  22. suit — clothes
  23. charge — in control
  24. wind — to turn a key

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