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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. roll — a cake
  11. board — to get on
  12. roll — a list
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cap — a lid
  15. board — a committee
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cell — in biology
  24. trunk — of a car

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