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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. content — the amount
  3. stand — to bear
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. land — ground
  6. pit — in a race
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. content — happy
  9. board — a committee
  10. chair — a leader
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. can — a tin
  14. land — a country
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — to come down
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tube — a container
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. can — to be able to
  24. board — to get on

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