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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. board — to get on
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. can — a tin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stem — to come from
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. board — a committee
  23. can — a tin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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