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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. can — a tin
  5. hand — in cards
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. dip — to sink
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rock — a stone
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. clip — for paper
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. clip — a video
  18. rock — music
  19. board — to get on
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. squash — to crush
  23. hand — help
  24. dip — a sauce

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