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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. dip — to sink
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. board — a committee
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. board — to get on
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. squash — the sport
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fork — in a road
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. dip — to dunk

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