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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. content — the amount
  4. game — wild animals
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. game — a match
  8. rock — music
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. content — happy
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. racket — a loud noise

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