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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pass — a permit
  6. craft — boats
  7. cap — of ice
  8. face — to confront
  9. staff — employees
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bass — low music
  17. cap — a lid
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. craft — a skill
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bass — the fish
  23. suit — in cards
  24. staff — employees

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