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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. cell — in biology
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. dip — to sink
  14. plane — a tool
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. cell — a phone
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. staff — a stick
  21. board — to get on
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. season — in sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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