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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. snap — to click
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lie — to recline
  15. row — a line
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pound — a weight
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pass — a permit

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