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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. band — a music group
  4. bank — of a river
  5. object — a thing
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. object — to protest
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. board — a committee
  12. bass — low music
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a great time
  15. band — a ring
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — to get on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bound — certain
  20. ball — a dance
  21. object — an aim
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bank — for money

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