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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 116 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. board — a committee
  6. dip — to sink
  7. suit — clothes
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rock — music
  10. board — to get on
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fall — the season
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. suit — to fit

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