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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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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 · plane · object · band · stick · rock · board · perch

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. plane — a tool
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rock — music
  8. band — a music group
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pass — a permit
  16. band — a ring
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — to get on
  24. band — a rubber band

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