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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cell — in biology
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — to eat
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. date — the fruit
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cell — a phone
  23. board — a committee
  24. leaves — of a tree

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