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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 116 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. board — to get on
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bass — the fish
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pass — a permit
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bass — low music
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. suit — clothes
  24. board — a committee

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