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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
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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: march · bay · trunk · bass · board · prune · field · bear

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. field — for sport
  3. bass — the fish
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. field — farmland
  6. board — a committee
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. field — a subject
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. march — the month
  14. board — to get on
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. march — the month
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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