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

Word bank: march · cabinet · chair · mate · pass · deal

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. march — music
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. march — the month
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pass — to succeed

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