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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: track · board · bank · mouse · ground · bass · face · bulb

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. track — to keep track
  3. ground — crushed
  4. track — a path
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. track — a song
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. board — to get on
  11. ground — a position
  12. bank — of a river
  13. board — a committee
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — the fish
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bank — for money
  18. bass — low music
  19. ground — the earth
  20. face — to confront
  21. bank — for money
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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