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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: pass · hand · chair · press · mate · cap · fine · can

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mate — a friend
  6. can — to be able to
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. hand — help
  11. can — a tin
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fine — all right
  14. cap — a lid
  15. press — newspapers
  16. hand — in cards
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. press — to push
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chair — a leader
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a partner

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