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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. firm — steady
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mug — to rob
  7. firm — decided
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rash — hasty
  10. last — to go on
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. last — final
  13. mug — a face
  14. rash — a series
  15. firm — a company
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mug — a cup
  23. last — finally
  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