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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. board — to get on
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pop — soda
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — a committee
  9. hand — help
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. pop — music
  13. mate — a friend
  14. hand — in cards
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pop — to visit
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. plane — in geometry

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