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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: leaves · bass · spell · board · race · bear · jam · deal

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. board — a committee
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. race — a contest
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. spell — magic
  9. deal — to handle
  10. board — to get on
  11. spell — a short time
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. race — humankind

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