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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. board — to get on
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bank — for money
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. swing — in golf
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. swing — music
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — a committee
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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