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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
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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: ball · bay · content · toast · prune · tube · mug · board

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. board — a committee
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ball — a dance
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. content — the amount
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mug — a face
  13. prune — to trim
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. board — to get on
  16. tube — the underground
  17. prune — to trim
  18. tube — a container
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. toast — bread
  21. content — happy
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ball — a great time

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