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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a great time
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. suit — to fit
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — a committee
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bass — the fish
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fine — high quality
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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