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

Word bank: track · pass · game · trunk · mate · rule · rush · board

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. board — a committee
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. game — a match
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. game — wild animals
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mate — a partner
  16. board — to get on
  17. track — a song
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mate — a friend

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