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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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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 · row · leaves · pass · pit · pound · cap · bear

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cap — a lid
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pass — a permit
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. row — a line
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. board — a committee
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bear — the animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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