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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mine — for digging
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. hand — help
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stand — to bear
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hand — in cards
  20. board — to get on
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bear — the animal

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