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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. content — the amount
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bound — obliged
  5. race — humankind
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. race — a contest
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. press — a publisher
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. press — to push
  20. board — to get on
  21. content — happy
  22. stock — shares
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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