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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. board — to get on
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a committee
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. swing — to play on
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tube — the underground
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rest — a break
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. root — of a word
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. swing — music
  21. tube — a container
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. root — of a plant
  24. board — a flat piece

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