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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. board — a committee
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — letters
  7. roll — a list
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — to get on
  15. row — a line
  16. spell — magic
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. row — to paddle
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a cake
  24. spell — a short time

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