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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. kick — in football
  3. saw — the tool
  4. field — for sport
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. band — a ring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. field — farmland
  10. board — a committee
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. band — a music group
  15. board — to get on
  16. saw — the tool
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. field — a subject
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fine — high quality
  22. cap — of ice
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pass — to spend time

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