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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: mate · bass · board · date · cue · chip · rock · bear

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. board — a committee
  3. chip — to eat
  4. date — the fruit
  5. mate — a partner
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — music
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cue — a signal
  12. board — to get on
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. chip — for betting
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cue — for pool

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