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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: dip · land · squash · board · kick · hide · coach · track

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. board — a committee
  7. track — a path
  8. land — to come down
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. land — ground
  11. squash — the sport
  12. dip — to sink
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. squash — to crush
  19. kick — in football
  20. land — a country
  21. board — to get on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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