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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · land · rest · board · pass · present · drill · scale

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rest — what's left
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rest — what's left
  7. land — a country
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — the time now
  10. scale — in music
  11. present — a gift
  12. land — ground
  13. board — to get on
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. present — there
  16. drill — the tool
  17. land — to come down
  18. fine — high quality
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fine — all right
  23. drill — army training
  24. pass — to succeed

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