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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: last · pass · cap · jam · staff · cabinet

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. cap — a hat
  3. last — final
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pass — a permit
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cap — of ice
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. last — to go on
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pass — to spend time

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