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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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468
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: pop · arm · club · ground · present · board · ruler · bass

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pop — music
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pop — soda
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pop — to visit
  12. board — a committee
  13. bass — the fish
  14. ground — the earth
  15. present — the time now
  16. bass — low music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ground — a position
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. ground — crushed
  21. board — to get on
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a flat piece

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