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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. board — a committee
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. content — the amount
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. content — happy
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. kick — in football
  16. band — a ring
  17. fine — high quality
  18. board — to get on
  19. pass — a permit
  20. band — a music group
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fine — all right
  24. kid — to tease

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