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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — to get on
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fine — all right
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. board — a committee
  16. ball — a dance
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fine — a penalty

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