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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. scale — size or range
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. charge — a price
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. scale — in music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. craft — boats
  23. wake — a trail
  24. charge — in control

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