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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.

Words on the sheet
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: racket · band · craft · wave · cabinet · board · bass · stem

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. board — to get on
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bass — low music
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. band — a music group
  16. board — a committee
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. craft — boats
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stem — of a plant

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