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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: dip · cabinet · cap · board · mine · bay · row · last

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mine — for digging
  3. row — a line
  4. cap — a lid
  5. last — to go on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — to get on
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cap — of ice
  17. last — finally
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. board — a committee
  21. last — final
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. cabinet — ministers

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