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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. face — to confront
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cap — a lid
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. board — to get on
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rock — music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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