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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 116 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bass — low music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bass — the fish
  11. board — a committee
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. board — to get on
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cue — a hint
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cue — a signal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bass — the instrument

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