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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. suit — clothes
  4. board — a committee
  5. squash — to crush
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. firm — steady
  8. last — final
  9. suit — to fit
  10. band — a ring
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. last — to go on
  15. suit — in cards
  16. content — the amount
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. content — happy
  20. squash — the sport
  21. last — finally
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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