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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. content — the amount
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. staff — employees
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stem — to come from
  11. staff — employees
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bound — tied together
  16. board — a committee
  17. content — happy
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. fine — high quality
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. board — to get on
  24. fine — all right

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