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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · pop · track · deal · board · bass · stick · land

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pop — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. board — a committee
  8. bass — the fish
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. land — to come down
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. track — a song
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. track — to keep track
  17. land — a country
  18. track — a path
  19. board — to get on
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. land — ground
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bass — low music

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