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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  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 — the fish
  2. board — to get on
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. spring — of water
  6. root — the cause
  7. bass — low music
  8. board — a committee
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. root — of a plant
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. drill — the tool
  20. root — of a word
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wax — to grow
  23. spring — the season
  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