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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cap — of ice
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. band — a ring
  14. pop — music
  15. game — a match
  16. band — a music group
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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