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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: bear · board · bound · sharp · shower · content · season · staff

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bound — certain
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. content — happy
  9. season — of the year
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. content — the amount
  12. staff — employees
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. shower — rain
  15. board — to get on
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bear — the animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. season — in sport
  23. shower — to wash
  24. sharp — exactly

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