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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. board — to get on
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wind — moving air
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. ground — the earth
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ground — a position
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — music
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bass — low music
  24. board — a committee

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