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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stock — goods
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stock — shares
  14. mark — a trace
  15. board — a committee
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rest — a break
  18. fall — to drop
  19. track — a path
  20. fall — the season
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. track — a song
  24. board — a flat piece

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