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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cold · rash · content · board · track · scale · bowl · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rash — a series
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cold — not warm
  6. board — a committee
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rash — hasty
  9. track — a path
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stand — to bear
  12. track — a song
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. scale — in music
  16. content — happy
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. scale — size or range
  22. board — to get on
  23. content — the amount
  24. cold — an illness

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