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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cell — a phone
  3. land — ground
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. capital — a city
  6. rock — a stone
  7. land — to come down
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cue — a hint
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. cue — for pool
  14. capital — money
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rock — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. land — a country
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wake — a trail
  24. capital — a big letter

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