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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: wake · cap · pass · kid · mouse · current · leaves · fan

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. cap — a hat
  3. kid — to tease
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. kid — child
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. current — electric
  23. mouse — the animal
  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