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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 116 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: rock · rule · pass · firm · track · board · rest · mate

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rest — a break
  4. board — a committee
  5. rock — music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — a company
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. board — to get on
  11. track — a path
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. firm — steady
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pass — a permit
  16. track — a song
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. firm — decided
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pass — to succeed

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