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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fine — all right
  5. bass — low music
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. board — to get on
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. board — a committee
  13. bear — the animal
  14. band — a ring
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. club — a group
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. club — for golf
  24. bear — to put up with

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