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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. craft — boats
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fall — to drop
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fall — the season
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cap — a lid
  20. date — the fruit
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. squash — the sport

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