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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cap — a hat
  4. tube — a container
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stock — shares
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stock — goods
  20. pit — in a race
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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