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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. board — a committee
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. board — to get on
  17. content — the amount
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. content — happy
  21. kick — in football
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bowl — a dish

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