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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. object — to protest
  3. bear — the animal
  4. craft — boats
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — to get on
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. net — for catching
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. craft — a skill
  18. net — in sport
  19. object — a thing
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cap — of ice
  23. board — a committee
  24. net — after costs

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