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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · roll · dip · stand · last · file · snap · bulb

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. last — to go on
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bulb — for light
  6. file — a document
  7. roll — a cake
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. file — a line of people
  10. dip — to sink
  11. last — finally
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. roll — a list
  17. snap — to click
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. last — final
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stand — to bear
  24. file — a tool

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