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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: content · row · toast · bowl · chair · board · squash · jam

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. board — a committee
  6. content — happy
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. row — a line
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. content — the amount
  19. board — to get on
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. chair — a leader
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. squash — the sport

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