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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: bass · can · suit · kick · hand · board · rush · hide

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. board — a committee
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rush — hurry
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hand — help
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — low music
  14. board — to get on
  15. suit — in cards
  16. can — to be able to
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rush — a thrill

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