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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. march — the month
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. march — music
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. march — the month
  10. board — to get on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bass — the fish
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bass — low music
  21. wound — an injury
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. jam — a tight spot

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