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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. board — a committee
  7. mug — a face
  8. board — to get on
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cell — a phone
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rush — hurry
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mug — to rob
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. capital — money
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. capital — a city
  24. cell — in a prison

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