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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. degree — temperature
  5. content — happy
  6. rule — government
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. degree — from a university
  12. rule — a law
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. content — the amount
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. degree — an amount
  23. board — a committee
  24. bore — to drill

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