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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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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: fall · pass · present · bear · leaves · nail · cap · dip

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fall — the season
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. fall — to drop
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cap — a hat
  11. present — the time now
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bear — the animal
  16. present — there
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — a lid
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. present — a gift
  24. pass — to spend time

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