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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · rash · craft · rest · pass · board · content · pop

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. board — to get on
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rash — a series
  8. craft — boats
  9. content — the amount
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rest — a break
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. content — happy
  19. pop — soda
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. board — a committee
  22. pop — music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. board — a flat piece

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