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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. club — for golf
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. track — a path
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. board — a committee
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. sharp — clever
  24. club — a group

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