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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. board — a committee
  3. can — a tin
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. branch — a division
  9. rule — a law
  10. club — a group
  11. can — a tin
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. row — to paddle
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. dip — to sink
  19. row — a line
  20. rule — government
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. board — to get on

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