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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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. board — to get on
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mark — a trace
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bound — certain
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. board — a committee
  17. bound — tied together
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bound — obliged
  20. tube — a container
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bass — low music
  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