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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.

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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. board — to get on
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mark — a grade
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mark — a trace
  22. board — a committee
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. lash — to lash out

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