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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: board · bear · cap · content · fan · stock · bay · wave

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. board — to get on
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. content — the amount
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. stock — goods
  21. cap — a lid
  22. content — happy
  23. stock — shares
  24. bear — the animal

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