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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: wind · wave · charge · board · cue · pass · drill · net

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. net — in sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. board — a committee
  12. cue — a hint
  13. drill — a practice
  14. net — after costs
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. net — for catching
  17. charge — in control
  18. wind — moving air
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. board — to get on
  22. drill — army training
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wind — moving air

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