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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. can — to be able to
  3. key — the most important part
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. key — in music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wake — a trail
  9. key — for a lock
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. tube — a container
  18. scale — size or range
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pass — a permit

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