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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bear — the animal
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. clip — to cut
  13. bass — the fish
  14. clip — a video
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bass — low music
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — a committee
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cap — a hat

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