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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pass — a permit
  4. board — to get on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. rule — a law
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. board — a committee
  12. rule — government
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. prune — to trim
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. swing — music
  24. prune — to trim

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