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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: arm · board · bass · chip · racket · spell · pit · club

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. board — to get on
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. chip — for betting
  11. club — for dancing
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — magic
  14. chip — to eat
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pit — a hole
  17. spell — a short time
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bass — low music
  24. board — a committee

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