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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 120 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: board · deal · ball · mark · cue · straw · saw · pass

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. board — to get on
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ball — a great time
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. board — a committee
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pass — a permit

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