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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. pass — a permit
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. drill — army training
  6. net — in sport
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. drill — a practice
  9. stock — goods
  10. rock — music
  11. content — happy
  12. net — for catching
  13. charge — in control
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. board — a committee
  18. stock — shares
  19. charge — electricity
  20. content — the amount
  21. charge — a price
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. net — after costs
  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