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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 · pass · pitch · bear · staff · hand · cold · rock

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. rock — a stone
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rock — music
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. staff — employees
  8. hand — help
  9. cold — not warm
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. staff — employees
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bear — the animal

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