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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rest — a break
  3. rash — hasty
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rest — what's left
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. object — to protest
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. object — a thing
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rash — a series
  21. object — an aim
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. board — to get on

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