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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.

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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: cap · cell · bark · pass · present · board · ball · net

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. present — the time now
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — to get on
  5. pass — a permit
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — for catching
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. present — there
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. ball — a dance
  20. present — a gift
  21. board — a committee
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. net — in sport
  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