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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. content — the amount
  3. key — for a lock
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. key — in music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. drill — a practice
  11. content — happy
  12. chair — a leader
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. scale — in music
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. key — the most important part
  18. board — to get on
  19. drill — army training
  20. bulb — for light
  21. board — a committee
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — size or range

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