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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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 — clothes
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cell — in biology
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. board — to get on
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. board — a committee
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — to shout
  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