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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · dip · bore · board · suit · rash · pop · bat

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rash — a series
  4. last — finally
  5. last — final
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rash — hasty
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bat — the animal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. last — to go on
  16. pop — music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. board — a committee
  22. pop — soda
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pop — to visit

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