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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bass — the fish
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bark — to shout
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. toast — bread
  16. date — the fruit
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. board — to get on
  22. bass — low music
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. hand — help

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