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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. board — to get on
  3. club — for dancing
  4. board — a committee
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. land — ground
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. club — for golf
  11. land — to come down
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fine — high quality
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. land — a country
  17. fine — all right
  18. club — a group

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