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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 · bay · bass · stand · suit · hand · squash

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hand — in cards
  6. board — to get on
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bass — the fish
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stand — to bear
  14. board — a committee
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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