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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. board — a committee
  9. stock — shares
  10. suit — to fit
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. board — to get on
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stock — goods
  16. date — the fruit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. kick — in football
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — the fish
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — 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