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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: content · mate · scale · pass · stick · board · band · rock

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. scale — in music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pass — a permit
  6. board — a committee
  7. content — the amount
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mate — a partner
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mate — to breed
  14. band — a ring
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. band — a music group
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mate — a friend
  20. board — to get on
  21. content — happy
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rock — music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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