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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: present · rock · suit · bass · land · board · dip · swing

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. present — a gift
  6. land — to come down
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. rock — a stone
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — music
  13. bass — low music
  14. land — a country
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bass — the fish
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — clothes
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. land — ground

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