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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mark — a trace
  6. object — a thing
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cap — a lid
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. object — to protest
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cap — a hat
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. object — an aim

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