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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. board — to get on
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. court — of law
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. court — of a king
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. board — a committee
  13. court — for sport
  14. bear — the animal
  15. tube — the underground
  16. band — a music group
  17. tube — a container
  18. pass — a permit
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. band — a ring

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