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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bound — obliged
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bass — low music
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bound — tied together
  13. staff — employees
  14. board — to get on
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. craft — boats
  17. bound — certain
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. craft — a skill
  22. clip — for paper
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. clip — a video

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