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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: rush · pound · mug · dip · spell · board · hide · cell

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mug — a face
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. board — to get on
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rush — hurry
  10. dip — to sink
  11. spell — magic
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. board — a committee
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mug — to rob
  17. spell — letters
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pound — a weight

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