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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bulb — for light
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. hand — help
  6. face — to confront
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. craft — boats
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — in cards
  11. face — to point toward
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. dip — to sink
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. board — to get on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. board — a committee

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