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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · saw · prune · game · jam · board · bay · pass

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. game — a match
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. prune — to trim
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. prune — the fruit

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