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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. suit — to fit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rule — a law
  15. board — to get on
  16. date — the fruit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lean — to bend
  19. board — a committee
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rule — government
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. racket — for tennis

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