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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. roll — a list
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — music
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. board — a committee
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. spring — the season
  18. roll — a cake
  19. firm — steady
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rock — a stone

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