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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: board · degree · craft · pass · bay · nail · date · lie

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — an amount
  4. craft — boats
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. board — to get on
  8. lie — to recline
  9. date — the fruit
  10. degree — temperature
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — a committee
  24. nail — on a finger

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