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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. board — to get on
  3. degree — an amount
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pound — a weight
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. degree — from a university
  11. tube — the underground
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tube — a container
  15. track — a path
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. track — a song
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. degree — temperature
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. pass — a permit
  24. temple — a place of worship

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