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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: suit · cabinet · ground · cold · cap · mark · calf · pass

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. ground — a position
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cold — an illness
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ground — the earth
  21. cold — not warm
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. calf — a young animal

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