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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. land — to come down
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. board — a committee
  6. can — a tin
  7. club — for dancing
  8. can — a tin
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. club — a group
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — music
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rock — a stone
  15. land — a country
  16. can — to be able to
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. land — ground
  20. club — for golf
  21. board — to get on
  22. dip — to sink
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. foot — part of the body

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