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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. suit — to fit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rash — a series
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cold — an illness
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — to get on
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. board — a committee
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. cold — not warm
  24. bulb — of a plant

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