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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. can — a tin
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. sharp — clever
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. scale — size or range
  20. saw — the tool
  21. scale — in music
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pass — a permit
  24. sharp — with an edge

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