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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: bass · chest · dip · lean · rule · present · board · calf

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bass — the fish
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — thin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rule — government
  10. lean — to bend
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. board — to get on
  14. present — a gift
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chest — of your body
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. board — a committee
  22. chest — a box
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bass — low music

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