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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. board — a committee
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rest — a break
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — music
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — to get on
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stem — to come from
  20. current — happening now
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. game — a match
  24. pass — a permit

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