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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. board — a committee
  5. key — for a lock
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rule — a law
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. content — the amount
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. board — to get on
  14. key — in music
  15. content — happy
  16. net — after costs
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. rule — government
  23. key — the most important part
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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