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

Word bank: bound · dip · bay · last · cabinet · board · pop · deal

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pop — soda
  5. bound — certain
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bound — tied together
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bound — obliged
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. pop — music
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. last — final
  19. dip — to sink
  20. last — to go on
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. last — finally
  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