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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. board — to get on
  5. present — there
  6. march — music
  7. shower — to wash
  8. can — a tin
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. shower — rain
  11. march — the month
  12. present — the time now
  13. board — a committee
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bass — the fish
  17. present — a gift
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a trace
  22. can — a tin
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. march — the month

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