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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — to get on
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. cell — a phone

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