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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cap — a lid
  5. scale — in music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rush — hurry
  14. scale — size or range
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pop — music
  24. rest — a break

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