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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 116 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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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: shower · scale · cap · board · lean · leaves · pass · suit

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. suit — to fit
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. scale — in music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. cap — of ice
  15. scale — size or range
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pass — a permit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cap — a hat
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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