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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. squash — to crush
  10. club — for golf
  11. key — for a lock
  12. suit — in cards
  13. club — a group
  14. cold — not warm
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — for dancing
  18. suit — to fit
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. key — in music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. key — the most important part
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bowl — a dish

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