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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: cabinet · fan · swing · present · pass · rock · rash · leaves

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rock — music
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. swing — music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rash — a series
  9. present — a gift
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. present — there
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pass — a permit
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. present — the time now
  24. rash — hasty

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