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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · foot · stick · cabinet · sharp · staff · pass · fan

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. staff — employees
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. staff — employees
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pass — a permit
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. foot — a measure
  20. staff — a stick
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pit — in a race

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