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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: rock · dip · charge · board · lie · cabinet · nail · game

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. board — to get on
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — wild animals
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to sink
  9. game — a match
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. charge — in control
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — a price
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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