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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · leaves · rash · can · net · board · bark · bass

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. board — a committee
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. net — in sport
  7. bass — low music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. staff — employees
  10. bark — to shout
  11. can — a tin
  12. net — for catching
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bass — the fish
  17. board — to get on
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. staff — a stick
  22. can — a tin
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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