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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · object · kick · bass · board · bark · pit · scale

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. kick — in football
  3. object — to protest
  4. board — a committee
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. object — an aim
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bark — to shout
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. board — to get on
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. tube — a container
  14. pit — in a race
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. scale — in music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. object — a thing
  20. bass — the fish
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bass — the instrument
  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