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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. board — a committee
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. present — there
  13. ball — a dance
  14. snap — to click
  15. rash — a series
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. present — a gift
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. board — to get on
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wind — moving air

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