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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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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 · march · lean · cap · roll · firm · mate · calf

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. march — music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. roll — a list
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mate — a partner
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. cap — a lid
  16. roll — a cake
  17. march — the month
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. firm — a company
  20. mate — to breed
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — the month
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lean — to bend

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