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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — to get on
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. toast — bread
  8. wake — a trail
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mark — a trace
  19. board — a committee
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — a grade
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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