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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. plane — a tool
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. board — a committee
  5. squash — to crush
  6. stock — goods
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. key — for a lock
  10. board — to get on
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stock — shares
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. squash — the sport
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cap — a hat
  24. dip — to sink

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