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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spring — a coil
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. spring — the season
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. content — happy
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. hand — help
  20. board — to get on
  21. spring — of water
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. content — the amount
  24. dip — a sauce

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