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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. court — for sport
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bound — certain
  5. court — of law
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. spell — magic
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. spell — letters
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. present — a gift
  15. spell — a short time
  16. can — a tin
  17. court — of a king
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. board — a committee
  21. present — the time now
  22. can — to be able to
  23. board — to get on
  24. present — there

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