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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rock — music
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. can — a tin
  5. board — a committee
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rock — a stone
  8. face — to confront
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. club — for dancing
  11. board — to get on
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. club — for golf
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. track — to keep track
  20. dip — to sink
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. club — a group

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