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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. present — a gift
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. rest — a break
  5. dip — to sink
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. content — happy
  10. mate — a partner
  11. present — there
  12. band — a music group
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rest — what's left
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mate — to breed
  19. present — the time now
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. band — a ring
  22. content — the amount
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. board — a flat piece

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