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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — the animal
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. board — a committee
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. swing — music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. content — the amount
  19. charge — in control
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bear — the animal
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. content — happy

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