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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. board — a committee
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hand — in cards
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rock — music
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mouse — for a computer

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