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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. tube — the underground
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bass — the fish
  15. board — a committee
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. craft — boats
  18. tube — a container
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. board — to get on
  22. craft — a skill
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. charge — electricity

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