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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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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 · cue · net · pass · hide · bore · bass · firm

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — for pool
  3. firm — steady
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pass — a permit
  11. net — for catching
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bass — low music
  14. firm — a company
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. cue — a signal
  19. firm — decided
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. bore — gave birth

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