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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: deal · cold · dip · suit · toast · shower · board · fine

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cold — an illness
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. deal — to handle
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. board — to get on
  10. suit — in cards
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. suit — to fit
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. toast — bread
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cold — not warm
  21. fine — all right
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. deal — a big deal

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