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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 116 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: clip · board · stem · face · pitch · firm · bark · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. firm — a company
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pass — a permit
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. firm — decided
  13. board — a committee
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. face — to point toward
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — a video
  18. pitch — completely
  19. firm — steady
  20. face — to confront
  21. board — to get on
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. face — part of the head

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