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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bound — tied together
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bound — obliged
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bound — certain
  13. ball — a dance
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. vault — a safe
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bass — low music
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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