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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: board · row · file · suit · pass · ball · ground · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a document
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. row — to paddle
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ball — a dance
  9. row — a line
  10. spring — a coil
  11. ground — a position
  12. file — a line of people
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. file — a tool
  16. spring — of water
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. board — a committee
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. board — to get on

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