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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — low music
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. board — a committee
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spell — letters
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. board — to get on
  15. spell — magic
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. suit — in cards
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ball — a dance
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bass — the fish
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. patient — a sick person

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