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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. suit — to fit
  3. object — a thing
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. wind — moving air
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — an aim
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. board — a committee
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pit — a hole
  14. roll — a list
  15. suit — in cards
  16. object — to protest
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. pound — a weight
  24. board — to get on

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