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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. game — wild animals
  7. ground — crushed
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. roll — a list
  10. board — a committee
  11. suit — to fit
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. file — a tool
  15. ground — a position
  16. game — a match
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ground — the earth
  21. roll — a cake
  22. rest — a break
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. suit — clothes

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