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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. pass — a permit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. shower — rain
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cap — a hat
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mark — a trace
  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