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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. board — a committee
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bass — low music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. scale — in music
  14. snap — to click
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. firm — steady
  21. board — to get on
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. capital — 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