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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. board — to get on
  3. can — a tin
  4. staff — employees
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bass — low music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. can — a tin
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bass — the fish
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — to sink
  18. board — a committee
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bore — to tire
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. hide — to keep secret

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