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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. craft — boats
  3. chair — a leader
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. board — a committee
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rock — a stone
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chair — a professorship

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