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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 120 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. suit — to fit
  4. press — newspapers
  5. dip — to sink
  6. hand — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. board — to get on
  10. suit — in cards
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. cap — a lid
  14. board — a committee
  15. cap — a hat
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cap — of ice

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