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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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Word bank
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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 retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ball — a great time
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — to get on
  7. ball — a dance
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. season — of the year
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. dip — to sink
  16. staff — employees
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a committee

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