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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: land · bay · bulb · fan · board · dip · kick · cell

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. board — a committee
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. kick — in football
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. land — to come down
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cell — in biology
  15. land — ground
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cell — a phone
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. land — a country

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