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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cap — a hat
  3. saw — the tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. saw — the tool
  7. deal — to handle
  8. last — to go on
  9. cap — of ice
  10. last — finally
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. last — final
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rock — music
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cap — a lid
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stand — for spectators

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