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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 120 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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. board — to get on
  6. suit — in cards
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. kid — to tease
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. suit — to fit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kid — child

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