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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: cap · suit · game · scale · fan · pass · rock · toast

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cap — of ice
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pass — a permit
  16. toast — bread
  17. suit — clothes
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — a stone
  20. game — a match
  21. scale — in music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. cap — a hat

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