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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — a match
  4. drill — army training
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cap — of ice
  10. drill — a practice
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. last — final
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. last — finally
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. last — to go on
  20. cue — a hint
  21. drill — the tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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