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

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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 — to succeed
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cap — of ice
  12. hand — in cards
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chair — a leader
  16. cap — a lid
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cap — a hat
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. hand — help
  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