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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. clip — for paper
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bass — low music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mug — to rob
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mug — a face
  13. board — to get on
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. clip — a video
  18. chip — to eat
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mug — a cup
  21. suit — to fit
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. clip — to cut

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