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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.

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: board · deal · fan · race · stick · wake · mug · bass

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. board — a committee
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wake — a trail
  12. deal — to handle
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mug — a face
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mug — to rob
  22. race — a contest
  23. bass — low music
  24. fan — a supporter

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