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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. track — a path
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bound — certain
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a committee
  16. content — happy
  17. bank — for money
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. board — to get on
  20. track — a song
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. leaves — to go away

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