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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. board — to get on
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. tube — a container
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bore — to drill
  22. board — a committee
  23. snap — to click
  24. tube — the underground

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