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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — to get on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. board — a committee
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. suit — to fit
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wake — a trail
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — the amount
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. suit — in cards
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. stand — on your feet

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