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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. court — of law
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. scale — in music
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. court — for sport
  13. pit — in a race
  14. board — a committee
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. court — of a king
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. cap — a hat

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