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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 116 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: bark · sharp · deal · board · lie · bass · scale · cap

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bass — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — low music
  5. scale — in music
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. board — a committee
  15. cap — a hat
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. board — to get on
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bark — to shout
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cap — a lid
  24. scale — size or range

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