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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. board — to get on
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bass — low music
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. board — a committee
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. charge — in control
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. band — a ring
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. charge — a price
  24. mark — a grade

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