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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. can — a tin
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wound — an injury
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — in music
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. board — to get on
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. can — to be able to
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. can — a tin
  23. chair — a leader
  24. board — a committee

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