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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 120 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: cabinet · last · field · pass · march · ball · suit · cap

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pass — a permit
  9. march — the month
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. suit — in cards
  12. march — music
  13. ball — a dance
  14. suit — clothes
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. field — farmland
  18. last — to go on
  19. ball — a great time
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — to fit
  22. field — a subject
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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