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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mate — a friend
  6. current — of water
  7. bass — low music
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pass — a permit
  13. board — a committee
  14. current — happening now
  15. mate — to breed
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — to get on
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. hide — animal skin

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