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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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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: pass · board · suit · swing · pound · pop · staff · trunk

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pass — a permit
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. swing — music
  6. board — to get on
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. board — a committee
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pound — a weight
  12. swing — to play on
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. staff — employees
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. swing — in golf
  21. staff — employees
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. suit — in cards

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