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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 120 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. board — a committee
  9. chest — a box
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — of the year
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. deal — to handle
  15. chest — of your body
  16. stand — to bear
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chest — of your body
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. dip — to sink

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