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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: pass · race · cabinet · march · bay · patient · foot · board

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. march — the month
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. board — to get on
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. race — a contest
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. foot — a measure
  12. board — a committee
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — a permit
  15. march — music
  16. race — humankind
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. march — the month
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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