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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stem — to come from
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. roll — a list
  19. club — a group
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. hand — help
  23. club — for golf
  24. hand — part of the body

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