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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: toast · tube · perch · rush · board · kid · stand · pass

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. tube — the underground
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. board — to get on
  13. kid — child
  14. toast — bread
  15. tube — a container
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stand — on your feet

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