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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. track — a path
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bass — low music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. board — to get on
  9. staff — employees
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wind — moving air
  19. board — a committee
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. staff — employees
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. plane — a tool
  24. track — a song

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