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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: board · tube · saw · mug · dip · bay · bulb · straw

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. saw — the tool
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. board — a committee
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — a face
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. tube — the underground
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bulb — for light
  22. saw — the tool
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. board — to get on

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