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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bore — to tire
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bore — to drill
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. board — a committee
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bass — low music
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. toast — bread
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mine — belonging to me

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