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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — all right
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bass — low music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — a break
  19. cap — a lid
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bark — to shout

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