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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: charge · arm · rash · board · bass · bark · fine · squash

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. squash — to crush
  5. charge — in control
  6. bark — to shout
  7. squash — the sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. board — a committee
  10. bass — the fish
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. board — to get on
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. charge — a price

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