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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. current — happening now
  4. object — to protest
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pass — a permit
  9. current — of water
  10. board — to get on
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. band — a ring
  16. current — electric
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. band — a music group
  19. object — an aim
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. board — a committee
  24. band — a rubber band

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