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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.

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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: coach · bass · board · cabinet · rash · game · pass · foot

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. game — a match
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. board — a committee
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pass — a permit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rash — hasty
  24. game — wild animals

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