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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
468
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: capital · pass · rock · board · roll · straw · land · patient

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. land — a country
  4. capital — a city
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. board — to get on
  13. pass — a permit
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. roll — a cake
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. land — to come down
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. land — ground
  21. rock — music
  22. capital — money
  23. roll — a list
  24. board — a committee

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