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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 124 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wound — an injury
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bore — to tire
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cap — of ice

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