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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 116 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 · deal · race · lean · rush · board · trunk · net

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lean — thin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. race — a contest
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. race — the arms race
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. net — after costs
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lean — to bend
  16. deal — to handle
  17. board — to get on
  18. net — for catching
  19. board — a committee
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. race — humankind
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. net — in sport

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