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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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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: date · pass · key · fine · board · bay · stock · hand

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. board — a committee
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. hand — help
  13. stock — shares
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. board — to get on
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stock — goods
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hand — in cards
  24. fine — all right

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