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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: hide · board · rock · hand · drill · track · pass · lean

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. drill — the tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. drill — army training
  7. lean — thin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. board — a committee
  13. track — a path
  14. drill — a practice
  15. hand — in cards
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hand — help
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rock — music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rock — a stone

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