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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. can — a tin
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mate — a friend
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — a committee
  13. dip — to sink
  14. can — to be able to
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. race — the arms race
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. race — a contest
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. race — humankind
  24. bulb — for light

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