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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 124 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fall — the season
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wind — moving air
  7. staff — employees
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. can — a tin
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fall — to drop
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. season — of the year
  22. staff — employees
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fan — a supporter

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