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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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468
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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. key — for a lock
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — bread
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. kid — child
  8. wind — moving air
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. board — a committee
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. key — in music
  15. dip — to sink
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. kid — to tease
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. key — the most important part
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. board — to get on

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