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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 120 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. cue — for pool
  4. can — a tin
  5. content — happy
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. last — final
  8. can — a tin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. band — a music group
  11. last — to go on
  12. bound — tied together
  13. can — to be able to
  14. band — a ring
  15. cue — a signal
  16. content — the amount
  17. last — finally
  18. bound — obliged
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. board — to get on
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bound — certain
  24. cue — a hint

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