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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 116 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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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. cold — the Cold War
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. present — there
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cold — not warm
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cold — an illness
  21. mate — a friend
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bass — the instrument
  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