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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: fan · saw · pop · cap · swing · pass · lean · bear

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bear — the animal
  5. swing — music
  6. lean — thin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pop — music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. swing — in golf
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cap — a hat
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pop — soda

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