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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: leaves · chip · board · bass · fall · tube · rock · suit

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fall — to drop
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. chip — for betting
  12. board — a committee
  13. bass — the fish
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — to get on
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — to eat
  19. tube — a container
  20. bass — low music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rock — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — clothes

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