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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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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. board — a committee
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. cell — in biology
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chair — a leader
  10. dip — to sink
  11. toast — bread
  12. board — to get on
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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