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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lean — thin
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. drill — army training
  6. staff — employees
  7. pass — a permit
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. pop — to visit
  11. cap — of ice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. current — of water
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lean — to bend
  24. staff — employees

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