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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a dance
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. tear — from crying
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. board — to get on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bowl — a dish

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