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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fine — high quality
  3. march — the month
  4. fine — all right
  5. current — electric
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. current — happening now
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. club — a group
  12. march — music
  13. club — for dancing
  14. content — the amount
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. club — for golf
  19. wax — to grow
  20. content — happy
  21. current — of water
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. march — the month
  24. wax — in the ear

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