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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: wind · date · jam · fine · object · chip · pass · board

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. jam — in traffic
  2. wind — moving air
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. object — a thing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wind — moving air
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. board — to get on
  12. object — to protest
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fine — all right
  16. date — the fruit
  17. object — an aim
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pass — a permit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pass — to spend time
  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