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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 120 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
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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: degree · suit · staff · cap · club · pass · land · face

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. land — ground
  4. land — to come down
  5. suit — to fit
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. suit — in cards
  9. land — a country
  10. staff — a stick
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cap — a lid
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. staff — employees
  16. face — part of the head
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. staff — employees
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pass — a permit
  24. degree — from a university

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