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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: board · shower · ball · snap · bay · cabinet · bass · firm

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. shower — to wash
  8. firm — steady
  9. board — to get on
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. firm — decided
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. shower — rain
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. firm — a company
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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