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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. board — a committee
  4. season — in sport
  5. swing — music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. season — of the year
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. current — electric
  17. lie — to recline
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. board — to get on
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. current — of water

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