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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lean — thin
  4. season — in sport
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. season — of the year
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lean — to bend
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. squash — the sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mug — a face
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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