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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — to recline
  3. board — to get on
  4. bass — the fish
  5. club — a group
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hand — in cards
  13. club — for golf
  14. board — a committee
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. object — a thing
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bass — low music
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hand — part of the body

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