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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — low music
  20. cold — an illness
  21. suit — to fit
  22. track — a path
  23. bass — the fish
  24. suit — clothes

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