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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bore — to drill
  8. row — to paddle
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. board — a committee
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. row — a line
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. dip — to sink

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