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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
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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: cap · nail · pop · bay · pass · hide · spring · jam

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spring — of water
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pass — a permit
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. spring — a coil
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pop — to visit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pop — soda
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pop — music
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. spring — the season

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