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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. net — for catching
  6. staff — employees
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. net — after costs
  9. staff — employees
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bass — the fish
  13. net — in sport
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bass — low music

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