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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rock — music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. dip — to sink
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — a price
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. dip — to dunk

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