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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. suit — to fit
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — clothes
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. object — a thing
  7. march — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. object — to protest
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — in cards
  20. object — an aim
  21. bank — for money
  22. mine — for digging
  23. march — the month
  24. bank — of a river

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