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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. board — to get on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. capital — money
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. current — happening now
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. current — electric
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. current — of water
  22. capital — a city
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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