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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: pass · row · chest · fall · bay · board · rule · present

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. present — the time now
  3. pass — a permit
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. chest — of your body
  7. board — a committee
  8. chest — a box
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fall — to drop
  20. present — a gift
  21. row — a line
  22. present — there
  23. row — to paddle
  24. board — to get on

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