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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. net — for catching
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. board — to get on
  8. pass — a permit
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. board — a committee
  14. cold — not warm
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. foot — a measure
  23. cold — an illness
  24. squash — the sport

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