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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: cabinet · race · season · chip · hide · stock · board · pass

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pass — a permit
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — a contest
  14. season — in sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. race — humankind
  20. chip — to eat
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. season — of the year
  23. stock — a soup base
  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