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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cap — of ice
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cap — a hat
  9. craft — boats
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. present — there
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. present — the time now
  19. content — happy
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. content — the amount
  23. cap — a lid
  24. present — a gift

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