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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pass — a permit
  4. last — finally
  5. board — a committee
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. board — to get on
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. last — final
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chair — to sit on

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