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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pass — a permit
  3. season — of the year
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. season — in sport
  6. cap — a hat
  7. key — in music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. key — the most important part
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cap — of ice
  15. key — for a lock
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pass — to succeed

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