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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
468
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: fall · board · dip · band · lie · mug · toast · season

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. fall — the season
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mug — to rob
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. fall — to drop
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. dip — to sink
  10. board — a committee
  11. mug — a face
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. season — of the year
  15. mug — a cup
  16. lie — to recline
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — in sport
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. board — to get on
  24. season — to add flavour

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