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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cold — an illness
  6. cold — not warm
  7. season — of the year
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. mug — to rob
  13. fork — in a road
  14. lean — thin
  15. rest — a break
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. season — in sport
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mug — a face

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