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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: cold · fine · pop · foot · pass · mug · land · bay

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. land — a country
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mug — a cup
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — an illness
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cold — not warm
  17. land — to come down
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mug — a face
  22. fine — all right
  23. pop — soda
  24. land — ground

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