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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: rock · mark · wound · bass · craft · tube · foot · board

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. board — to get on
  8. wound — an injury
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. rock — music
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bass — low music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mark — a trace
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. foot — a measure
  22. board — a committee
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rock — a stone

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