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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: cap · toast · craft · pass · march · suit · shower · track

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cap — a lid
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. toast — bread
  5. track — a path
  6. shower — rain
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. cap — a hat
  10. march — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. track — to keep track
  13. craft — a skill
  14. march — the month
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cap — of ice
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pass — a permit
  20. track — a song
  21. suit — to fit
  22. march — the month
  23. craft — boats
  24. shower — to wash

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