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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. board — to get on
  4. content — happy
  5. chair — a leader
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ground — crushed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. board — a committee
  12. ground — a position
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ground — the earth
  21. content — the amount
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. track — to keep track

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