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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pass — a permit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rock — music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mark — a trace
  13. board — a committee
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. face — to confront
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wind — moving air
  23. board — to get on
  24. mark — to pay attention

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