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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 120 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. current — electric
  5. scale — in music
  6. board — to get on
  7. current — of water
  8. board — a committee
  9. root — the cause
  10. bound — tied together
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mate — a partner
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bass — the fish
  22. current — happening now
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bass — low music

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