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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. roll — a list
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cap — a hat
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cap — of ice
  8. land — a country
  9. present — there
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. land — to come down
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. vault — a safe
  14. present — a gift
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. fine — all right
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. land — ground
  20. cap — a lid
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pass — a permit
  24. sharp — clever

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