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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 120 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: fall · pass · cabinet · board · straw · bay · land · safe

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. land — ground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. board — to get on
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. board — a committee
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. land — a country
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fall — to drop
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. land — to come down
  22. fall — the season
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cabinet — ministers

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