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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 · board · ruler · staff · bat · mouse · cell · suit

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cell — in biology
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cell — a phone
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. staff — employees
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. suit — in cards
  17. staff — employees
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bat — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bat — in an idiom

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