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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: mouse · wave · bound · coach · root · board · bass · staff

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bass — low music
  4. root — of a word
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. root — the cause
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. staff — employees
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — to get on
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. staff — employees
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bass — the instrument

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