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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 124 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. snap — to click
  8. board — to get on
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. board — a committee
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fine — all right
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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