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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. net — for catching
  5. object — an aim
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. net — in sport
  10. game — wild animals
  11. net — after costs
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. swing — music
  16. cap — a hat
  17. swing — to play on
  18. object — to protest
  19. game — a match
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. swing — in golf
  24. cabinet — ministers

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