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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: toast · nail · spell · rock · track · dip · board · last

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. board — a committee
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. board — to get on
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spell — magic
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. last — to go on
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rock — music
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. last — final
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. spell — letters
  18. last — finally
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rock — a stone
  22. track — a song
  23. toast — bread
  24. spell — a short time

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