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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fine — high quality
  4. present — the time now
  5. content — happy
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. squash — to crush
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chip — for betting
  12. present — a gift
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. board — to get on
  16. present — there
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. board — a committee
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fine — all right
  23. tube — a container
  24. content — the amount

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