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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bass — low music
  5. tube — a container
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. board — to get on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bass — the fish
  14. key — in music
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a dance
  18. key — the most important part
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ball — a great time
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pitcher — a jug

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