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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. fall — the season
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rule — a law
  10. fine — all right
  11. board — a committee
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pop — soda
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. content — happy
  20. pop — music
  21. rule — government
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. content — the amount

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