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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: board · bowl · cap · track · object · prune · field · bass

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bass — the fish
  3. board — a committee
  4. prune — to trim
  5. board — to get on
  6. field — a subject
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bass — low music
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. field — for sport
  15. prune — to trim
  16. object — an aim
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. field — farmland
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. object — to protest
  22. track — a song
  23. cap — of ice
  24. object — a thing

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