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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. board — a committee
  3. suit — to fit
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. chest — of your body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — happy
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. content — the amount
  15. board — to get on
  16. game — a match
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. game — wild animals
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. suit — in cards

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