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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. band — a ring
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. board — a committee
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bark — to shout
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. board — to get on
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. vault — a safe
  21. band — a music group
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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