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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. land — ground
  8. land — to come down
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pop — to visit
  15. land — a country
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pop — music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pop — soda
  24. band — a rubber band

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