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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. firm — decided
  4. key — for a lock
  5. firm — steady
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. board — to get on
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. suit — clothes
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — a company
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — in cards
  21. key — in music
  22. bass — low music
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — to fit

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