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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: bulb · board · content · bear · club · rock · wave · sharp

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. content — happy
  3. board — a committee
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bulb — for light
  6. club — for golf
  7. content — the amount
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. board — to get on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rock — music
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. board — a flat piece

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