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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · scale · ground · band · bay · mate · board · dip

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mate — to breed
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. scale — in music
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. board — a committee
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. board — to get on
  20. band — a ring
  21. pass — a permit
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ground — the earth

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