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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. spell — letters
  12. cap — a hat
  13. spell — magic
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. band — a ring
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. band — a music group
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cap — of ice
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. coach — a trainer

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