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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ground — crushed
  4. board — a committee
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. hand — in cards
  11. content — the amount
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — the animal
  16. content — happy
  17. ground — a position
  18. bear — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hand — help
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ground — the earth

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