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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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. board — a flat piece
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. board — to get on
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. swing — music
  11. toast — bread
  12. dip — to sink
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. stand — to bear
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. current — electric
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. current — happening now
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. swing — to play on
  23. current — of water
  24. kick — in football

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