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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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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: rock · board · staff · bass · shower · mark · bear · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bass — low music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. board — a committee
  9. rock — a stone
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rock — music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bass — the fish

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