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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.

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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: pass · deal · bulb · lean · board · bay · wound · ball

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. board — a committee
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bulb — for light

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