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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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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 · snap · rest · pass · band · pop · pit · cabinet

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. pop — music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rest — a break
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pop — soda
  14. band — a ring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cap — of ice
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. snap — to click
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rest — what's left

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