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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. can — to be able to
  4. content — the amount
  5. board — a committee
  6. club — a group
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. face — part of the head
  10. board — to get on
  11. can — a tin
  12. club — for dancing
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bank — for money
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. can — a tin
  19. club — for golf
  20. bank — of a river
  21. current — happening now
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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