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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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. board — a committee
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. court — of law
  5. pass — a permit
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. sharp — clever
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. court — for sport
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. court — of a king
  21. board — to get on
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pass — to succeed

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