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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · board · mouse · band · stick · fork · content · roll

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. roll — a list
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. content — happy
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fork — in a road
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. band — a ring
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. board — a committee
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. band — a music group
  21. content — the amount
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. content — videos and posts

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