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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bass — low music
  3. march — music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bass — the fish
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — to get on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — a committee
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. toast — bread
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. content — the amount
  23. tube — a container
  24. content — happy

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