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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: season · kick · chip · board · capital · bass · bark · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — of the year
  3. chip — to eat
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bass — the fish
  6. capital — a city
  7. season — in sport
  8. board — a committee
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bark — to shout
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chip — for betting
  18. capital — money
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bass — low music
  23. kick — in football
  24. board — to get on

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