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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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. bound — certain
  4. content — happy
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bass — low music
  8. board — a committee
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bore — to tire
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bore — to drill
  14. content — the amount
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. stand — to bear
  19. board — to get on
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bass — the fish

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