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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. game — wild animals
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rest — a break
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pass — a permit
  16. club — for golf
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rest — what's left
  21. club — a group
  22. mark — a grade
  23. deal — to handle
  24. leaves — lets stay

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