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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. can — a tin
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bass — the fish
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. band — a ring
  10. row — a line
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — low music
  13. bound — obliged
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. band — a music group
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. bound — tied together
  22. can — a tin
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bass — the instrument

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