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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. present — the time now
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wind — moving air
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wind — moving air
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. suit — in cards
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — to fit
  18. staff — a stick
  19. suit — clothes
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. board — to get on
  22. staff — employees
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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