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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 120 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: cue · pass · pit · suit · cold · spell · cap · mouse

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cold — not warm
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cue — a signal
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. cap — a hat
  21. spell — letters
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cold — an illness

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