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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. band — a ring
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bat — the animal
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — the amount
  18. deal — to handle
  19. band — a music group
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. content — happy
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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