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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cap — a lid
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pass — a permit
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. shower — rain
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wound — an injury
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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