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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. season — in sport
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. board — to get on
  15. bound — obliged
  16. board — a committee
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bound — certain
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cap — a lid
  24. dip — to dunk

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