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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. board — a committee
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — a break
  8. pop — music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pop — soda
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. board — to get on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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