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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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · pit · content · bowl · face · mug · leaves · staff

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. board — to get on
  4. face — to confront
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. board — a committee
  8. face — part of the head
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mug — to rob
  11. staff — a stick
  12. content — the amount
  13. mug — a face
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pit — in a race
  17. staff — employees
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. face — to point toward
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. content — happy
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. staff — employees

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