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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · pit · pass · season · fan · dip

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. season — in sport
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rest — a break
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. season — of the year
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pit — a hole

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