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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: bear · wave · board · land · can · wound · present · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. land — to come down
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. land — a country
  5. wound — an injury
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. content — happy
  11. present — there
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. present — a gift
  15. land — ground
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. present — the time now

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