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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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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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. object — an aim
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bass — low music
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. object — to protest
  10. mug — a face
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mug — to rob
  15. object — a thing
  16. content — the amount
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mug — a cup

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