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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. march — the month
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — for pool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — a permit
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. file — a document
  18. cue — a signal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. file — a tool
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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