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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: mark · board · deal · bass · tear · stand · object · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — low music
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. object — to protest
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. deal — to handle
  9. object — a thing
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. board — to get on
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. object — an aim
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tear — to rip
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. board — a committee

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