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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. degree — from a university
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. saw — the tool
  9. degree — an amount
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. charge — electricity
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bear — the animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — a permit
  21. charge — a price
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bear — to put up with

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