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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: spell · cue · ground · board · content · dip · fall · rush

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. fall — the season
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ground — a position
  5. content — the amount
  6. board — a committee
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cue — a signal
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cue — for pool
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — to get on
  17. spell — letters
  18. ground — the earth
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. spell — magic
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. ground — crushed
  24. content — happy

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