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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — a committee
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mate — to breed
  11. shower — to wash
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. toast — bread
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. shower — rain
  23. board — to get on
  24. dip — to sink

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