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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: roll · track · cap · fork · cell · fan · pass · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cell — in biology
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. march — the month
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. march — the month
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cap — a hat
  19. track — a song
  20. cell — a phone
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fork — in a road
  24. cap — of ice

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