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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. board — a committee
  3. rest — what's left
  4. club — for dancing
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mug — to rob
  7. club — a group
  8. board — to get on
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mug — a cup
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mug — a face
  13. court — of law
  14. file — a document
  15. pass — a permit
  16. rest — a break
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. file — a tool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. court — of a king
  21. club — for golf
  22. court — for sport
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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