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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: cabinet · bay · pass · mug · cold · fall · board · content

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mug — to rob
  5. content — the amount
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fall — the season
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. content — happy
  14. board — a committee
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cold — not warm
  19. mug — a face
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cold — an illness
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fall — to drop

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