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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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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 · cap · shower · mark · band · sharp · arm · rule

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cap — a hat
  4. band — a music group
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rule — a law
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pass — a permit
  13. shower — rain
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. band — a ring
  18. sharp — clever
  19. cap — a lid
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rule — government
  22. mark — a grade
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mark — a trace

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