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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pitch — completely
  6. board — a committee
  7. bass — the fish
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. ball — a dance
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bass — low music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. kick — in football
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pitch — a sports field

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