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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — to get on
  4. saw — the tool
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. branch — a division
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rash — hasty
  16. suit — to fit
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. saw — the tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. craft — a handicraft

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