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

Word bank: content · board · mug · bay · race · club · wind · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. race — humankind
  3. mug — a face
  4. club — for dancing
  5. content — the amount
  6. club — a group
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. content — happy
  12. club — for golf
  13. board — to get on
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mug — to rob
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. race — a contest
  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