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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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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 · lie · chip · lean · pitcher · pass · court · board

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. lie — to recline
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lean — thin
  12. court — for sport
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lean — to bend
  15. court — of a king
  16. chip — to eat
  17. board — a committee
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pass — a permit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. court — of law
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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