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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 116 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. board — to get on
  4. cell — a phone
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. season — of the year
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. board — a committee
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. deal — to handle
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. dip — to sink
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. cell — in biology

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