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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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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: jam · fan · pass · cap · snap · mouse · last · stem

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. last — to go on
  4. snap — to click
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. last — finally
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. last — final
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cap — a lid
  24. jam — in traffic

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