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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rest — a break
  5. board — to get on
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a committee
  9. march — music
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. march — the month
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stock — shares
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mine — for digging
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — goods
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. march — the month

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