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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. board — to get on
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — a committee
  15. rest — what's left
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. season — in sport
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rest — what's left
  20. season — of the year
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. rest — a break

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