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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.

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: clip · board · bass · stick · season · pit · bark · court

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. board — a committee
  5. bass — the fish
  6. clip — for paper
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. clip — a video
  11. board — to get on
  12. court — of law
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bass — low music
  15. court — of a king
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bark — to shout
  23. court — for sport
  24. board — a flat piece

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