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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. net — in sport
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. board — to get on
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cap — a hat
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. net — for catching
  15. cap — of ice
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. net — after costs
  18. cap — a lid
  19. can — to be able to
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. foot — a measure
  24. can — a tin

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