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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stem — to come from
  4. net — in sport
  5. staff — employees
  6. net — for catching
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. staff — employees
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. board — to get on
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. staff — a stick
  20. wake — a trail
  21. net — after costs
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wake — before a funeral

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