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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: hide · fan · pit · track · cold · pass · jam · dip

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — to sink
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cold — an illness
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cold — not warm
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. hide — animal skin

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