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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. toast — bread
  13. board — to get on
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bass — low music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. net — after costs
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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