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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. craft — boats
  3. bass — the fish
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. file — a document
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. suit — clothes
  12. club — for golf
  13. pit — in a race
  14. hand — in cards
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. board — a committee
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bass — low music
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. hand — help

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