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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stock — goods
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fall — the season
  12. staff — employees
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stock — shares
  15. cap — a lid
  16. suit — clothes
  17. sharp — clever
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. staff — employees

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