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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: pass · ground · scale · cue · fan · stand · cell · hide

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ground — a position
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. scale — in music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — the earth
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cell — in biology
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cue — for pool

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