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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: game · tube · pass · jam · scale · board · staff · arm

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. game — a match
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. scale — in music
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. board — a committee
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — wild animals
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pass — a permit
  13. board — to get on
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. staff — employees
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. staff — a stick
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. tube — a container
  24. scale — size or range

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