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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 124 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. squash — to crush
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. board — to get on
  18. scale — in music
  19. hand — help
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fork — in a road
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. squash — the vegetable

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