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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · deal · shower · board · file · chip · pass · bass

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. bass — the fish
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. deal — to handle
  7. file — a line of people
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. board — to get on
  11. shower — to wash
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. file — a document
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bass — low music
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. board — a flat piece

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