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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: can · leaves · chip · fan · last · cabinet · pass · mark

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. last — to go on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. last — finally
  17. mark — a grade
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fan — a supporter

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