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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. board — to get on
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. current — electric
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. current — of water
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. board — a committee
  21. current — happening now
  22. bat — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wax — in the ear

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